Dreaming To Reality: Oneiromancy
by Yuki Ryu
Summary: The Digimon Kaiser had been outed, defeated, and purified. Life should have been peaceful for the Chosen, but when the Digimon Kaiser reappears, colder and more distant than ever, his war continues anew. With their lives on the line, the Chosen are forced to face not only enemies that should have been their friends but even the source of the Dark Ocean itself.
1. Chapter 1

The chilly early December morning air showed no signs of warming up, even as the winter sun rose above the horizon in to the sky. Hints of ice appeared around the edges of every glass surface, waiting for someone to manually remove it, as there would be no help from Mother Nature.

Hikari sighed, her warm breath turning to a puff of mist in the cold air. From her arms, YukimiBotamon watched the little cloud her partner had breathed out before she purposely blew a puff of her own to join it.

The small white Digimon met her partner's gaze as Hikari let out a giggle, before her expression grew solemn. "It's really getting cold out now, isn't it? Be careful where you walk, there might be ice."

Hikari nodded. Despite the fact that her partner was a Baby at the moment, it seemed everything was back to normal between them. YukimiBotamon talked the same as she always did, which was admittedly surreal, given that the little Digimon couldn't pull off the same serious expressions she could as Tailmon; they wound up looking more adorable or strange than anything else.

To her credit, if being in such a small form bothered YukimiBotamon, she did a good job of covering it up. Instead, she kept her mature attitude as she looked past the ice-accented road towards the school. "I can't believe it's December already. The year has passed so quickly."

Another sigh escaped Hikari before she nodded again. "Yeah… A lot has happened this year, hasn't it?"

YukimiBotamon paused at that before she drooped. "Yes… a lot _has_ happened."

It still felt so surreal to Hikari. Weeks had passed since the fateful battle with Armagemon, and they were no closer to finding Ken. The Digital World was slowly rebuilding, one piece at a time, as peace returned to the Digimon. Even the Chosen Children themselves had settled down to a more normal schedule without the constant threat of war with one of their own.

Yet, even as the Digital World itself healed, some wounds still hadn't.

Hikari couldn't help but wonder if she was the only one that even cared that Ken was still missing. If any of the other Chosen Children were, they did a good job of not showing it. Even Ken's parents had stopped doing all the talk shows, pleading for his return while chastising him in the same breath. No one cared anymore, and they had gone on with their lives.

It made Hikari's heart hurt all the more.

Silence weighed between them before Hikari muttered, more to herself than her partner. "I hope Ken is doing okay. It's been weeks since…"

Subconsciously, she pulled YukimiBotamon a little closer to her body.

YukimiBotamon snuggled in to her partner. "I know," She hesitated before she lowered her gaze. "All we can do is hope… and wait. If something were wrong, surely Keiko would've said something. But as it stands..."

"Yeah…" Hikari mumbled. "She hasn't said anything at all… I never thought I'd _want_ to dream of the Dark World, but… I want to know how she and Nyamon are doing too."

"I know," YukimiBotamon said, softly.

The rest of the trip to the school was somber, though thankfully the weather encouraged Hikari to be brisk, making it end that much quicker. As the Chosen of Light stepped through the front gates, she was immediately greeted by noise - running, shouting, and the sounds of a ball being kicked about. They were familiar sounds, prompting her to glance towards the soccer field. The soccer club was having one of its last few practices before it would be out for the rest of the year - what little there was - before resuming again in the spring.

Hikari couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the boys, as the cold bit at them in their uniforms. The only real defense they had was the heat of their own bodies as they ran their exercises, which would last only as long as their own movements.

YukimiBotamon blinked when she spotted Takeru as he played along with the others, running along the field. "Takeru looks _cold_." She paused when another boy caught her eye. She went quiet as she saw Daisuke kicking the ball about, focused on it rather than his surroundings. She made a face, her mouth drawing tight. "...Daisuke too."

"Yeah," Hikari murmured. She could only briefly settle her gaze on Daisuke before an unpleasant bitterness welled up in her heart and forced her to look away. She tried to feel happy that, at least, Daisuke and Takeru seemed to be getting along as well as ever. She didn't hate Daisuke. Even after he ruined all her hard work and refused to listen to her no matter what she said in spite of all the time and trust they had together, she didn't want to end their friendship. In spite of all the doubt his sister Jun had leveled against him in the beginning, she believed him and was proven right in the end that he was a good person, someone who she wouldn't think badly of.

Hikari could never hate Daisuke. She just hated how he made her feel.

YukimiBotamon's ears drooped as her beady eyes narrowed, before she let out a huff. "Well, let's leave them alone for now. We'll see him enough as it is when we go to the Village of Beginnings after school."

Hikari was torn about agreeing, not wanting to give in to these bitter feelings, but eventually she nodded all the same. "Yeah… We can talk to Takeru and Patamon after practice ends."

YukimiBotamon gave a nod at that. "Sounds good."

Hikari quickly moved out of sight so neither the boys nor their hidden partners could see her heading towards the school. While part of her still felt incredibly guilty about avoiding them, it was no match for the complicated emotions driving her onward away from her friends. Perhaps when they found Ken, and things started to improve, she would be able to address the tension between her and Daisuke. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so responsible for what had happened - for how everything had turned out - or her resentment for Daisuke's hand in it. For now, she would focus on the Digital World and hope that another clue to Ken came soon enough and they could all be friends again.

She just wished that she could shake the feeling that the peace was nothing more than a lull before the storm - the eye of a hurricane - and that something bad was about to happen.

* * *

Waves of gray gently lapped against the monochrome shore, underneath a perpetually overcast sky. The scene would have been serene, albeit dreary, if not for the knowledge of what was hidden beneath the tranquil surface.

The only thing the Dark Ocean ever promised was death and madness.

A small group of Digimon walked along the shore, heading towards the waves. Leading the way were the Devas of the Holy Beast Zhuqiaomon - the snake Deva Sandiramon, the horse Deva Indramon, and the sheep Deva Pajiramon. Behind them, wobbling back and forth with a bright grin on his face that totally belied the seriousness of the situation, was Neemon.

Sandiramon slithered right up to the shore and gave a small sniff at the water before he jerked back as the waves seemed to suddenly reach for him, sending the snake scurrying out of range as he abandoned his dignity in the moment.

"Careful, careful~!" Neemon said, cheerfully. "Unless you want a permanent vacation, you should probably avoid taking a dip~!"

Sandiramon curled up around himself as he glared at the water, then towards Neemon. "Keep your comments to _yourself_ , _wretch_."

"It's just as disgusting as I knew it would be," Indramon said as he stared out across the water, looking to the vast horizon that continued onward indefinitely. "A land befitting its master."

"We're not here for sightseeing," Pajiramon said before she turned to look down at Neemon expectantly.

Neemon removed two of the three necklaces he wore and twirled one on each hand, creating a streak of black and pink at his sides, leaving the golden one resting against his scarred chest.

Indramon reached out for the blurs, only to flinch slightly when Neemon released the crests and sent them flying into the horse Deva's face.

Panjamon stared impassively as Indramon let out a snort, his disapproving glare somehow managing to sneak past his long mane as it covered his face. "We must hurry. Even with Neemon's Obfuscation Aura, it is only a matter of time before Narakumon notices something amiss."

"You give him far too much credit," Sandiramon said, with a vicious smirk. "He was useless against the so-called 'Digimon Kaiser', so what do _we_ possibly have to fear?"

"Narakumon would have known who the Digimon Kaiser was, and chose not to tell anyone," Panjamon replied. "We can only assume that they were allies."

Sandiramon considered his comrade's words before he let out an angry hiss, his tongue flickering out of his mouth. "Which means he would most certainly interfere."

"Enough talking, more doing~!" Neemon said, waving his hands to the Devas. "Or are you just going to talk Ken-chan to death~?"

"Agreed," Pajiramon said. "The time for talk has passed."

Indramon walked straight up to the shoreline, or at least as far as he dared, before he came to a stop. "All that is left to do is decide _where_."

"Does it matter?" Sandiramon asked, more rhetorically than expecting an answer as he looked around. "In this hellhole, it really doesn't matter where you die - or be _killed_ , in this case."

"Indeed," Indramon agreed before he lifted the his hoof, the neckband for the Crest of Darkness and the Crest of Kindness wrapped around it so that they both dangled in the air before him.

The snake Deva watched his comrade before he turned to Pajiramon. "Do you really think this is necessary? He's just a human."

"You forget where we are," Pajiramon replied. "And what befell Lord Huanglongmon at this very place."

Sandiramon paused at that before he grimaced, his hood flaring.

"We must erase all trace of his existence from this world," Indramon agreed. "Only then can we be certain that he can cause no more harm to our world."

Sandiramon let out a snort, flaring his nose. "Just like an _infestation_. How fitting…"

"Indeed," Pajiramon said,

"Get into position," Indramon said. Without waiting for confirmation from his comrades, the horse Deva lifted his hoof towards the dangling crests. His hoof began to glow gold, and an aura appeared around the crests. The light pulsed before the aura quickly turned black, the crest of Darkness eagerly devouring the energy that Indramon provided it. As it did, pink suddenly sprang forth, attacking the blackness as eagerly as it had gone after the gold.

As the crests consumed each other's energy, something within the water started to react. The serene surface bubbled and splashed violently, as if a great turmoil was happening beneath the surface. The sounds of screams, full of fear and pain, could faintly be heard as the water grew increasingly troubled.

Suddenly, the water exploded out in all directions, as if being viciously repelled by an explosion from deep below the surface. The Dark Ocean surged away from all sides, fleeing from the source of the detonation.

"It worked," Sandiramon said, with a hiss. "That bastard really is here!"

Indramon stepped forward even as he still held the crests outward. "Step forward, _Kindness_ , and-"

The horse Deva's words were cut short as a whip lashed out, wrapping around Indramon's throat with a snap. The Digimon could barely let out a strangled gasp before he was yanked forward, into the crater left by the retreating water.

A massive blue dragon with golden claws came into view, his enormous wings fanning out wide to show off the wing-like sharp ridges along his upper arms. A white dragon skull mask with red markings and golden horns covered his face, with a matching white breastplate covering his chest. Twin golden orbs floated around him in circles, glowing with a royal purple hue that kept the terrified ocean waters at bay.

The dragon Digimon opened his gaping maw to greet the hapless horse Digimon, snapping down on him and crushing the Digimon in his jaws with a sickening _crunch_. Data flew upwards through his razor sharp teeth as Indramon died without even a chance to scream. The dragon Digimon let out a low rumble before he turned to glare at the stunned Pajiramon and Sandiramon, murderous intent clear in his cold gold eyes.

The crests fell downwards, dropping to the dragon's feet to land harmlessly on the moist sand.

"W-what the-who the hell are you!?" Sandiramon demanded as he arched up, fanning his hoods. "You're not… you're not Wormmon!"

"What an astute observation."

A teenage boy with wild short hair that appeared to be somewhere in between midnight blue and indigo emerged from the parted waters, looking to be about fifteen years old. He wore a long black jacket with gold trim and matching gold accents around the waist, and purple shoulder pads. Hints of red inner lining flickering through as he walked, mingling with the brief flashes of the blue-gray pants and shirt he wore under his coat. His silver buckle glinted in the light, standing out vividly against his black belt, as his blue-gray shoes with a white center stripe crunched the wet sand under his feet.

The strange boy paused to reach down, plucking up the Crest of Darkness and Kindness off the sand with his free hand as the other held the black whip that had pulled Indramon to his death, his hands protected with matching blue-gray gloves that sported white traced with gold on the back of his hands. He straightened back up and gave the crests a twirl. The band spun about his pointer finger idly before landing with a 'clink' against the human's silver-white cuffs around his wrist - identical to the ones around his other wrist and both ankles.

The boy gave the two Digimon a deadpan stare through his sleek, goggle-like gold glasses. Behind him, Wingdramon lowered his head so that it was directly above the human child, flaring his nostrils as he let out a rumbling growl.

"I'd say I was impressed," the teenage boy said in a smooth low tone. "But then I'd be lying."

"Just who-!?" Sandiramon gasped, incredulous. The vision before him could only fit one person - and even then, it didn't fit them _at all_. "You can't be… Ken!?"

The regally dressed boy stared hard at Sandiramon, his expression still as deadpan as it had been when he first appeared. "'It is better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.'" he recited, his voice dry.

"I have heard that humans _do_ evolve, though more slowly and gradually than Digimon," Pajiramon said as she aimed her bow directly at the human child before her. "Perhaps this is the result of his time within the Dark Ocean."

Sandiramon stared at the sheep Digimon before he turned his attention back to the newcomer. "I-it doesn't matter - you're _dead_!"

The boy barely paid attention to the threat as slid the Crest of Darkness and Kindness around his neck. "I'd thank you for giving me the means to finally escape the Dark Ocean by introducing myself before you died, but I know what you were really planning to do with these crests." With a snap of his fingers, the dragon floating behind him stood at attention. "Drown them, Wingdramon."

Wingdramon let out a low growl before he fanned his wings wide. As he did, the water around him surged upwards as the panicked screams came back in full force. Like a stampede of spooked cattle attempting to flee a predator, the Dark Ocean rushed forward towards the gaping Devas as they stood dumbstruck on the shoreline.

Neemon watched the carnage from a safe distance, his Obfuscation Aura in full effect as neither Wingdramon nor the Digimon Kaiser noticed his presence. While he had been prepared to swoop in and take the kill for himself, his senses were apparently far better than Zhuqiaomon's supposed elite servants as they had warned him against making the first strike. Now, thanks to his gut, he was alive while they were dead - or wished they were dead.

But then, it was only natural, as he _was_ a professional.

Neemon lingered only long enough to watch the Devas struggle to escape the tsunami Wingdramon unleashed upon them. Unfortunately for them, it wasn't just water that splashed onto them, but a curse that stole their color where it touched as clawed hands of the damned souls within reached out to take them.

As prideful as the Devas were, they were quickly overcome by the unnatural aura of fear the Dark Ocean radiated, as malformed faces wailing, screaming, laughing, and whispering terrible secrets further disoriented them. They attacked blindly at the waves, but Wingdramon somehow managed to continually force the water outward until it dragged them, screaming and struggling, into the Dark Ocean.

Soon, the Devas were gone, leaving only evidence of their desperation behind in the streaks left behind on the sand.

Neemon silently took in all of this with half-open eyes and a smile that split his face. He had seen the Dark Ocean take Digimon before, but it not while they were still alive. However, as interesting as the scene had been, he couldn't ignore the sight of the Digimon Kaiser standing there on the shore, calm and untainted, scanning the area. There was little doubt who the boy was looking for.

If Ken had learned how to influence the Dark Ocean, then the last place Neemon wanted to be was in his crosshairs again.

Revenge would have to wait a little longer, but it would come. It would come. Neemon had spent far too long dreaming of what he would do to Ken, of the finale of his masterpiece, to let it go. For now, he would retreat back into the shadows and look for new opportunities to orchestrate the next movement in his composition.

* * *

Even with the sun shining brightly in the clear blue sky, the ruins of the Village of Beginnings looked no better than they had the first time the Chosen Children visited. Decay and destruction was everywhere, with seemingly no attempt at repairing the damage having been made.

Taichi ran his fingers through his hair as he slowly took in the devastation. "So… where do we start?"

"Are we supposed to… fix this ourselves?" Sora asked as she glanced about the ruined buildings, furrowing her brow. "Before the eggs will start coming?"

"I don't think so," Takeru said, with a frown. "The Village of Beginnings started working as soon as Apocalymon was dead. We didn't need to actually _do_ anything."

"It doesn't seem as though destroying all the Dark Towers had any effect," Koshiro said, laptop cradled in his arms. He checked the map of the Digital World for any dark patches on the grid scanner, but there was nothing but white. "We might want to try investigating the area for anything else unusual."

"That's a good idea," Yamato said as he put his hands on his hips. "There must be something we're missing."

Mimi furrowed her brow at the deary, washed out colors and felt a pang of sadness as she remembered Kyoumon. "Maybe all we need to do is rebuild it, and it'll start back up again?"

"Before we start any back-breaking manual labor," Miyako said as she adjusted her glasses. "We should take a look around and make sure we won't just be wasting our time."

"And look for survivors," Daisuke added, his expression severe.

"Ken wouldn't have killed the babies," Hikari said, her voice quiet, but firm.

Daisuke's fingers twitched at his sides, but his gaze lingered on the ruins around them. "I didn't say that."

Hikari fixated on a rotting bassinet that had been split in half as she cradled her partner close to her chest. "I know."

"You all can worry about what Ken did or _didn't_ do later," YukimiBotamon said as she eyed Daisuke before glancing about. "Let's split up and look around. We'll cover more ground that way."

"If anyone sees anything, let everyone else know," Jou said as he adjusted his glasses. "Even if it seems quiet, we can't take chances."

"Good idea," Taichi said as he placed his hand on Hikari's shoulder before jerking his thumb in the direction of the slowly setting sun. "Hikari, Sora, and I will go this way. Yamato, you head the other way with Takeru, Daisuke, and Jou. Koshiro, you, Mimi, Miyako, and Iori head to the center and we'll meet up with you from the edges of the village."

"You got it," Yamato said with a nod.

"We will do our best," Iori said.

"I'll protect Iori!" Kyokyomon declared, with great enthusiasm.

"Oh, yes," Pafumon said as she wiggled her ears. "We definitely need to be on guard… weeds and peeling paint _are_ pretty terrifying."

Miyako barely stifled a snicker. "Oh yes, they're the worst, especially when Mom's giving out the week's chores."

"Don't worry, Daisuke," V-mon said as he clenched his fists, keeping his voice low. "I'll keep my eyes, ears, and nose out for Ken!"

Daisuke nodded, his expression solemn. "The second we find that guy-"

"When we find Ken, we're _talking_ to him," Hikari said, raising her voice as her muscles stiffened.

Daisuke's mouth twitched into a grimace twisted between pain and anger. "Why? So he can pretend he wants to be our friend all over again?"

"Okay!" Taichi said a little too loudly as he placed both hands on Hikari's shoulders and nudged her forward at a brisk walk. "Come on, everybody, let's get going. This place isn't going to fix itself!"

Hikari said nothing, biting her tongue as she let Taichi lead her away from a potential argument. With her head hanging low and no hair clips to hold her hair back, her bangs cast a shadow across her eyes.

The other Chosen reluctantly headed in their own directions, grouping together like Taichi had suggested. Takeru followed after his brother, though he lingered back to walk alongside Daisuke. He occasionally glanced over to the goggle boy, noting the severe tension in his face as he occasionally looked back over his shoulder in the direction Taichi's team went.

Takeru watched the goggle boy for several moments before he furrowed his brow. "Daisuke, are you okay?"

Daisuke jerked at the unexpected question, his head whipping back around so he could look at Takeru. He tried to smile, but all his mouth could form was a grimace. His mouth opened, a lie of platitudes hovering on his tongue, before he closed it again with a sigh. "No, man, I'm not."

"I had a feeling," Takeru said as he lowered his voice, slowing his steps so that he was walking alongside the Chosen of Tenacity. "Want to talk about it?"

Daisuke let out a frustrated puff of air through his nose as his shoulders slumped a little. "What's there to talk about? Ken was lying and spying on us the whole time, and Hikari forgives him for doing it, but not me for being mad at him."

Takeru blinked. "I'm sure Hikari understands why you're angry, she's just… _very_ focused. I think she's taking it very personally that everything went so… well, _badly_."

Daisuke rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not her fault Ken was lying to us the whole time, but she's too quick to give people a second chance before they even deserve it."

"Hikari has a big heart," Takeru agreed. "But she's also extremely stubborn." He flashed Daisuke a grin. "I think it's hereditary."

Daisuke blinked, staring at Takeru. "Stubborn? _Hikari_?"

Takeru's grin widened. "When she puts her mind to something, it's actually really hard to discourage her. While she will give in to Taichi or her friends, if she _really_ believes in what she's doing… then it's like a brick wall."

Daisuke nodded after a moment, still baffled by the notion that Hikari might have been as stubborn as Taichi. "Yeah… I guess. She gave up all her friends at school last year to stick by me and stood up to Jun for me, but that's because she's got the biggest heart I've ever seen."

"And that's the same reason she's doing her best to find Ken, even after everything that he's done," Takeru said. "She's not willing to give up on him. And honestly, I don't think anyone is."

A rumble of displeasure escaped Daisuke before he kicked an errant stone to the side. "So everyone but me is just forgetting what he did and forgiving him just like that?"

"No," Takeru said with a shake of his head. "But it's more… even if he did lie to us and trick us, that doesn't change the fact that he's a kid - a _Chosen_ \- like us. And I don't think anyone here hopes that something _bad_ has happened to Ken."

Daisuke let out a noncommittal grunt as he found another stone to kick.

"I'm sure most of us have some choice words for him, not just you," Takeru said as he looked up to the sky. "But no one really had a chance to say anything. There's no closure, nothing of any kind. And then what happened with Wormmon, and… we can't really be certain he took that well at all." He paused before shaking his head. "No, I _know_ he didn't. If he cared about Wormmon at all, that was like a knife right to his heart… just like it was for _me_ when Patamon died."

Patamon, who had been trying to give Takeru a little space to talk with Daisuke, couldn't help but flutter closer to his partner when he overheard those words.

"Like how Hikari doesn't seem to ever let go of YukimiBotamon these days, right?" Daisuke muttered.

Takeru nodded, with a grimace. "Yeah, it's… I know our partners won't die permanently, but it's still an awful feeling. I didn't - and still don't - want _anyone_ else to feel like I did."

Daisuke looked to V-mon for a moment before placing his hand atop his partner's head. "Yeah, me neither."

"That's probably part of it, too," Takeru said. "They both lost their partners at the same time - even worse, hers _killed_ his. Even if Tailmon had no choice, it's still… knowing the pain he's feeling, and knowing that she had a hand in it, even if she didn't _want_ to."

Daisuke flinched as a pool of guilt churned in his belly.

"I'm sure Hikari has forgiven you," Takeru said as he glanced back at Daisuke. "Like I said, I'm sure she understands that you're justified in feeling angry. It's just that she's already past that point, and is out to find Ken - if she was even angry in the first place. We're all just catching up, basically."

Daisuke rubbed his face as his stomach twisted and made him regret eating before they came here. "I guess…"

V-mon looked up at his partner, drooping. "Daisuke…"

In another area of the Village of Beginnings, the conversation was far less heavy and far more focused on the situation at hand - namely, fixing the village that brought life to the Digital World. As Koshiro, Miyako, Iori, and Mimi checked every inch of the rubble, no answer was forthcoming.

"There has to be something," Koshiro said as he peered behind a slab of rubble, lifting it upwards slightly with a grunt of exertion. "We just have to find it."

"What precisely are we looking for?" Iori asked as he craned his head, looking up at the roof of one of the destroyed buildings.

"At Factory Town, I found an area that had lines of code written on the walls," Koshiro said before he let go of the chunk of wall, jerking back instinctively as it thunked to the ground close to his feet. "It actually controlled all of Factory Town. It's just a theory, but the Village of Beginnings may have its _own_ control room as well."

"It's certainly better than any _other_ theory we have right now," Miyako said as she adjusted her glasses, then glanced up to Pafumon as her partner hovered high in the sky. "Do you see anything, Pafumon?"

"Define 'anything'," Pafumon replied as she wiggled her ears. "Rocks? Yes. Rubble? Yes. Devastation? Yes. Anything worth our time? Nope, nope, nope!"

"Delightful," Miyako sighed as she put her hands to her hips. "Well, I suppose it's better than spending all our time battling evil or mind controlled Digimon."

Mimi grimaced as she glanced around at the devastation around them, then clasped her hands together with a sharp clap. "Even if it doesn't really help, maybe we _should_ still clean up-"

"Koshiro, we have found something!" Tentomon's voice interrupted Mimi, drawing the Chosen's attention over to the insect Digimon and Palmon as the two stood by a large fountain. The fountain had long since gone dry and looked a little worse for wear. However, the Chosen soon saw what had gotten the Digimon's attention - the fountain had been moved aside at some point, exposing a stairwell leading down.

"Look, look!" Palmon said as she waved her hands. "It goes underground!"

Koshiro's eyes lit up with interest as he hurried over to the stairwell. "Good work, Tentomon! This might just lead us to what we're looking for."

Mimi peered down into the dark depths of the underground and the rusting metal spiral staircase that quickly disappeared into the gloom. "Looks creepy…"

"In case you hadn't noticed, this whole _place_ looks creepy," Pafumon said as she landed on Miyako's head. "That's what happens when you _destroy everything_."

"I'm contacting the others," Iori said as he pulled out his DT2 and quickly typed an email.

Miyako reached back into her backpack and pulled out an electric lantern that she switched on. "Well, we won't find out what's down there staring from up here. Let's go."

Koshiro nodded and, with a small sliver of trepidation, led the others down the staircase. With Mimi's anxiousness, it meant that he, as one of the older and more experienced members of the group, needed to be the one to lead.

The stairwell was actually fairly short, leading the Chosen in to a small room no bigger than the fountain that had apparently hidden it for so long. The circular room was mostly bare, save for the faint writing along the tops of the wall that gave off an eerie pink glow.

Koshiro's eyes widened when he spotted particular on the writing high along the top of the wall. He quickly rushed down the rest of the steps, pulling out his laptop back out of his bag. "I _knew_ it! It's just like Factory Town!"

"It is," Tentomon agreed as he followed his partner. "Though, wasn't that code written all _over_ the wall, as opposed to just along the top?"

Koshiro scanned the walls with his laptop, typing furiously along the keys. "Yes, but that…" His voice trailed off on an uncomfortable note as he already finished translating the code.

Mimi blinked as she noticed Koshiro's odd expression. "What is it?"

Koshiro shifted uncomfortably as he glanced from the laptop to the text, confirming that his translation was indeed accurate. "It's… uh… I think it's a message from Ken to the Holy Beasts."

"What's it say?" Mimi asked as she leaned in closer, only for Koshiro to back up and turn the laptop screen away from her.

Koshiro fidgeted. "It's, uh, well…"

"He told the Holy Beasts to fuck off," Miyako said flatly.

Mimi gawked at Miyako's use of foul language, jaw hanging open for a moment before she sputtered. "What?!"

Miyako readjusted her glasses before clearing her throat. "It says, and I quote, 'The Holy Beasts may escape from the Dark World when Keiko and Ryo do. And given that miracles do not exist, this means you can all fuck off.'"

It took Mimi a moment to come up with a response as she looked at the pink lines of text that looked like little more than squiggles to her eyes. While a part of her wanted to protest such language and chastise Ken, the reason why left her too uncomfortable to say anything but, "Oh."

Koshiro focused back on his laptop, relieved that he didn't have to give Mimi an exact transcript of the text. "I'm going to see if there's anything else here…"

Miyako shrugged before she slowly circled the room, shining her lantern against the walls in search of anything else of note. "I guess Ken wanted to give the middle finger to any Holy Beast followers who came here trying to fix the village to bring them back. Makes me wonder why he hid it down here though. There doesn't look like there's any actual code here."

"I believe this room was here from the start," Tentomon said. "Much like the room at Factory Town, this room controlled all of the Village of Beginning's operations." He paused before looking upward at the top of the walls. "And yet, there doesn't seem to be any useful code. Why would Factory Town require more code than the Village of Beginnings? The factory ultimately served no purpose, while this village allows all Digimon to live."

Iori stared at the walls for several moments, furrowing his brow. After a moment his eyes widened as a cold, chilling thought came to him. Slowly, he turned to Miyako. "What if Ken wrote his message _over_ the code? Is it possible?"

A dead silence settled over the room as Koshiro paused with his fingers hovering over the keys. Slowly, he turned to Iori with widening eyes, then up at the code that was written along the walls. Realization dawned on his face, and with it shock and horror.

"It _would_ keep the Holy Beasts from being revived," Iori said, his expression becoming grim. "Especially if none of their servants can manipulate Digital Code. They can't fix what Ken had done, making it the nail in their proverbial coffin."

The very thought sent Koshiro to the ground to place his laptop on his folded legs so he could type furiously on the keys. Digging deeper into the code, the very life of the Digital World, he probed for that very core code that Ken had taught him how to find.

Mimi felt a chill along her spine, along with a sense of dread that was making her sick to her stomach. The fact that Ken would go so far as to doom all of the Digimon to spite a certain few was unthinkable, she couldn't bring herself to understand it - or _want_ to understand it. Clasping her hands together and trying to stop her shifting from foot to foot, she turned to Koshiro with an almost desperate hope glinting in her eyes. "But… you can fix it, right? You can repair the code, can't you, Koshiro?"

Koshiro didn't respond right away as he continued to look through the core code. The longer the silence reigned, the more the question lingered over everyone's head - and in turn, the more anxious the other Chosen became. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Chosen of Knowledge stopped and lowered his hands, staring at the screen.

Tentomon landed on the ground beside his partner and glanced up to his stricken face, the sight not bringing any comfort. "Koshiro?"

"No," Koshiro said quietly. "I can't fix this."

Mimi felt her dread intensify, her eyes beginning to water. "W-what? But you… but you can read the code! You can-"

"I can see where the code used to be, and what it used to affect," Koshiro admitted, reluctantly. "But everything has been wiped completely clean. It'd have to recreate it from scratch. And while it's _possible_ that I could _eventually_ figure it out, who knows what'd happen to the eggs in the meantime? What if my code glitches them - or… or _worse_?"

Iori glanced down at Kyokyomon, visualizing what might have happened if his egg had glitched, before he grimaced. "Yes, it's far too risky."

Mimi fell to the floor, sitting on her knees. She stared at Koshiro for a moment before she glanced around helplessly at the others, tears in her eyes. "But then… what about the Digimon? What are we going to do?"

"I sincerely doubt Ken just _deleted_ the code," Miyako said gruffly before she lifted her glasses to rub a hand across her face. "With how important it is, there's no way he'd just wipe it out entirely. He probably saved a copy first."

"And I would think that Tenraimon'd be able to fix the code, as well," Iori said as he glanced to the Chosen of Passion. "It does fall under her domain."

"So we either need Ken to fix it, or Tenraimon," Koshiro said as he looked back down at his laptop. "And neither option is… really available to us right now."

"That brat can't sulk forever," Pafumon said as she wiggled her ears. "Eventually he'll _have_ to come crawling out of the woodwork."

"And we do plan on helping Tenraimon recover," Palmon said as she moved to sit beside her partner, reaching to grasp Mimi's hand for support. "So it's just a matter of whichever comes first, right?"

Mimi nodded with a quiet sound of affirmation as she gratefully squeezed Palmon's hand. "We're going to make everything okay again…" She looked to her friends with a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. "Right?"

"Right!" Palmon agreed.

"Of course," Iori said with a nod.

"Leave it to me!" Kyokyomon agreed.

"It's just one more thing on our 'to do' list," Miyako said as she put her hands on her hips. "No problem."

"Of course, Pafumon said. "Miyako's on the case, so you know it'll get done."

Koshiro didn't say a word, instead focusing on his laptop as the other Chosen Children comforted themselves and tried to raise their demoralized spirits. There really wasn't much any of them could do at the moment, least of all him. While he couldn't be as confident as Miyako that Ken _had_ kept a copy, he was willing to hold on to that hope for as long as he could. It was frustrating, feeling so helpless even when he was in his element, but even he knew when to _not_ tinker with something. With how many ways a computer could corrupt data, there was no end to the horrific possibilities if he blindly tried to recreate the data from scratch.

They had no choice but to wait.

Ultimately, everything pointed back to the boy genius, the Digimon Kaiser, and the Chosen of Kindness - Ken Ichijouji.

"Ken… where _are_ you?" Koshiro murmured, softly.

* * *

It was a miracle that the computer systems were still functioning, though even that wasn't of much help to FlaWizarmon or Witchmon. While they had a rough idea of how to use the machines, neither was on the same level as Ken. They needed the Chosen of Kindness to make the computers work at their full capacity.

Unfortunately, as irony would have it, finding the Chosen of Kindness was why they needed the computers in the first place.

"Still nothing," FlaWizarmon said with a sigh, slouched in the chair that had supported the much smaller boy genius for so long. He wearily looked up at the monitors as they displayed the Digital World and the crest energies flowing through it - specifically, the bright pink glow of Kindness. Unfortunately, the only light that appeared was the natural flow of the crest itself, and nothing else.

There was no sign of Ken's crest anywhere on the map.

Witchmon clucked her tongue. "Well, at the very least, it's not showing up in the Dark World."

"But it ain't showin' up anywhere else, either," FlaWizarmon said as he reached up to gingerly rub his brow. "It's like Ken-chan's disappeared _completely_ … off the face of the earth, the Digital World, an' everywhere else!"

"If the Dark Ocean had him, we'd _know_ ," Witchmon said, softly. "So we can at least rule out _that_ catastrophe."

FlaWizarmon let out a frustrated grunt as he slapped his hand down onto the armrest. "But so long as we don't know _where_ he is, we-"

"Get out of my way."

FlaWizarmon froze at the abruptly barked order, his eyes widening. The sound of an unfamiliar voice was enough to distract him from the sudden pinging on the screen, as the scarecrow Digimon glanced over his shoulder towards the doorway - an action that was mirrored by Witchmon. Both Digimon proceeded to gawk as they found themselves staring at a human child wearing a far more stylized version of the Digimon Kaiser's outfit, the same boy who had emerged from the Dark Ocean with his monstrous dragon.

The dragon Digimon had reverted to his child form, a small teal dragon with a white underside, tiny red wings, and twin pronged horns on his head. The Digimon, Dracomon, stared at the two impassively with his sharp red eyes, dutifully standing beside the boy dressed as the Digimon Kaiser.

"Ken-chan…?" Witchmon said slowly even as she hovered backward to make room for the Digimon Kaiser.

FlaWizarmon quickly scrambled out of the throne, moving to the side as the strange child didn't even wait for him to vacate it before coming to claim it.

The Digimon Kaiser barely gave Witchmon and FlaWizarmon more than an assessing glance before he claimed the throne as his own. He then gestured at the air, calling up viewing screens and a translucent keyboard. "Get to work on bolstering the defenses and our numbers and prepare for battle. Zhuqiaomon is going to pay for everything he's done."

FlaWizarmon and Witchmon blinked at the same time as they stared at the child in front of him, then at each other. Only a beat passed before the two smiled brightly and returned their attention to the strange child in Digimon Kaiser regalia.

"You got it, Kaiser-kun~!" they chirped, in unison.

* * *

The sun had long since set in the sky, allowing the temperature to drop considerably as night settled in. Koshiro sat in his comfy chair, bathed in the glow of his computer screen, wrapped up snugly in a fluffy blanket. With heavy-lidded eyes, he scanned through the Digital World's code while idly chewing on a flavored corn puff snack stick. While most children might find scouring endless strings of data strange, even monotonous, he found it soothing and a good way to relax after a long day.

Besides, the trip to the Village of Beginnings had proven that as much as he knew about the Digital World, Ken still held far more information and experience than he did. If he ever intended to erase the gap between them, he had to keep studying - keep learning - until he truly felt like comfortable with his knowledge.

Besides, it was hardly a chore if he enjoyed doing it.

As Koshiro finished off his current snack stick and reached for another, opening the plastic wrap as if he were peeling a banana, a sudden sharp noise caught his attention. Blinking, he turned to glance around the room, absently sticking one end of the bar in his mouth as he did so. He glanced over to Tentomon, his partner barely visible under the thick blanket of Koshiro's bed.

Furrowing his brow, Koshiro's eyes continued their journey across his room before they settled on his laptop, open on top of his dresser. Only then did it finally dawn on him what he was seeing. The laptop, which displayed a map of the Digital World as it ran his scanning program, had finally, after weeks of running, gotten a result.

And there was only one result he had programed it to set off an alert - _Kindness_.

Koshiro's eyebrows shot straight up as he gaped at the laptop, the half-eaten snack bar falling out of his mouth. He hesitated a moment as the information fully settled in before he lunged from his chair, knocking both it and himself to the floor in the process.

The clatter of the chair drew Tentomon from his warmth coma, the insect peering out from under the blanket just in time to see Koshiro practically crawling across the floor towards his laptop before finally getting back on his feet.

"Koshiro, what is it?" Tentomon asked.

"K-Kindness!" Koshiro blurted out. "My program found Kind…" He paused as soon as he was close enough to get a good look at his laptop screen. "…ness?"

"Kindness!?" Tentomon repeated as he crawled out from under the blanket despite the biting cold. "Ken has returned to the Digital World?"

"I…," Koshiro hesitated in his words as he looked at the screen, more specifically the icons in front of him - the pink rose of Kindness, the twin moons of Darkness, and the tyrian purple crest that he knew to be the alchemical symbol for gold. "It's not… just Kindness."

"What?" Tentomon asked as he landed on the table by the laptop.

"It's Darkness, but also… Pride," Koshiro said, confusion clear on his face. "But why is Pride…?"

"Does it matter?" Tentomon asked. "Kindness is there, so it might be Ken."

Koshiro considered that before he gave a quick shake of his head. "Y-you're right! I've got to-"

Koshiro couldn't even finish his statement before the screen suddenly glitched. The Chosen of Knowledge and his partner both froze, staring at the map of the Digital World as data flickered seconds before all three symbols disappeared from view - and with it, the entire section of the map. Instead, a large black square covered the grid, obstructing even the topographical symbols that had designated it a mountainous region not even moments before.

"What… just happened?" Tentomon asked, tentatively.

"I don't know," Koshiro murmured before he leaned forward to tap at the screen, prompting it to give him a video view of the area. However, rather than display a night time scene of the Digital World, it instead brought him nothing but static - black and white fuzz reminiscent of an old television with no signal.

"What does that mean?" Tentomon asked his partner, tilting his head.

Koshiro shook his head as he furrowed his brow, clicking back out to expand his view. His eyebrows shot straight up to see that the grid he had selected was no longer the only square blackened out. It had spread to those around it, almost like a virus. "T-this is-!"

Tentomon noted his partner's confusion, taking it as an unfortunate answer to his previous question, before he returned his attention to the screen. "What should we do?"

Koshiro stared at his screen for several moments before he straightened up. He didn't understand what was happening or what it meant, or what any of it had to do with the three crests he had seen not even moments before. However, there _was_ something he knew with absolute certainty.

"We have to tell the others."


	2. Chapter 2

Daisuke couldn't sleep. He didn't get a lot of sleep these days. Ever since Ken was exposed as the Digimon Kaiser, he found himself too wound up in feelings of betrayal and regret to get much rest. He was only able to distract himself from these destructive thoughts by focusing on other things. That was why he stretched on the bed on his stomach, the darkness of his bedroom only illuminated by the colorful glow of his game system screen as he tried to get past the boss. Beside him, Chibimon was curled up into a ball with a baby blanket overtop him, able to sleep even when Daisuke could not.

After a while, Daisuke got tired of trying and failing to defeat the boss on ultra hard mode and turned off the system. With a quiet sigh, he took off his headphones and set them along with the game system onto his nightstand. Without the glow of the game, the room was pitch black. Breathing deep, he tried to get comfortable, but the intrusive thoughts kept crawling back in despite his weary mind.

Thankfully, the thoughts weren't able to get too far before a loud ping - both familiar and hauntingly nostalgic - caught Daisuke's attention.

Daisuke blinked as he stared up at the ceiling, then turned his head towards his nightstand. The flashing light on his D-Terminal signalled for his attention, revealing itself to be the source of the sound, and sent a jolt of realization shot through him.

He had received an urgent chat request.

Instantly, Daisuke snagged the D-Terminal and flipped it open, heart pounding as he found the news he had been waiting to receive for weeks.

 _I found a trace of Ken's crest energy! Meet me at my house tomorrow after school._

A chat window invite immediately popped up, started by Taichi. The instant Daisuke clicked accept, he was bombarded with reactions as all of the Chosen Children seemed to be receiving the news at the same time.

Taichi: FINALLY!

Yamato: Seriously?

Jou: WHAT

Sora: Are you certain, Koshiro?

Takeru: What do you mean by 'a trace'?

Miyako: We need details!

Mimi: This is great! ✧*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡

Hikari: Is Ken okay?

Daisuke felt a twinge in his gut at seeing Hikari's immediate concern for the traitor, but tried to ignore it, as he expected as much already.

Daisuke: Where is he?

Koshiro: Calm down everybody!

Koshiro: I haven't found Ken yet.

Koshiro: My scanner just found Kindness' energy.

Koshiro: Which I think is going to lead us to Ken.

Taichi: So same difference right?

Koshiro: It's just that it disappeared about a minute after I found it.

Takeru: That's more than we've had for the past few weeks.

Iori: Is it possible he has figured out how to hide his crest?

Iori: And the program failed temporarily?

Koshiro: That's most likely the case.

Miyako: It'd explain where he's been all this time.

Mimi: I guess Ken is still hiding from us… (╥ᆺ╥；)

Daisuke: Let's go get him!

Daisuke: We've gotta hurry!

Yamato: Where did his crest appear?

Taichi: We can check it out, it might be a base.

Iori: There is no guarantee that he would still be there.

Iori: Especially if he realized his crest had been detected.

Koshiro: That's the problem.

Koshiro: The crest appeared, along with Darkness and Pride, in the mountains.

Koshiro: But then that area suddenly disappeared from my map program.

Koshiro: I get nothing but static when I try to access it.

Taichi: Pride?

Takeru: Wait, Darkness and PRIDE?

Takeru: Not Miracles?

Koshiro: Yes, and now the area is blackened out.

Koshiro: And the surrounding areas too.

Miyako: How big is the blackout area?

Koshiro: The initial blackout was in an 8x8 grid, but it's expanded since then to 16x16.

Jou: So it's SPREADING!?

Yamato: I wonder what THAT means.

Taichi: That reminds me! We still have to find the kid who's got the Pride crest!

Hikari: Maybe Ken found them, and they're spending time together.

Daisuke made a noise of frustration as he grit his teeth, the goggle boy reaching up to tug at his hair due to the pent up emotions. It was loud enough to catch Chibimon's attention, rousing the Digimon from his sleep so that he groggily stared at his partner.

Daisuke: That's just more reason we need to hurry!

Daisuke: He's probably suckering someone else into buying his innocent act and using them to do who knows what!

Miyako: Or we can wait until he contacts Hikari.

Miyako: Since, you know, if we all go barreling blindly in after him with you in the lead, he's just going to run instead of actually talk with us.

Miyako: Plus, in case you never read my info documents…

Miyako: (And I'm pretty sure you don't.)

Miyako: A grid on the map we set up is 1 kilometer by 1 kilometer in size.

Miyako: It's already too late to just blindly run around searching for the guy and anyone who might be with him.

Miyako: (For all we know, Ken could've just snatched the Pride crest like he did the others and isn't with anyone.)

Miyako: Especially when everyone here is half (or fully) asleep.

Miyako: It's 1am, and we've got school tomorrow, you know.

Mimi: Actually, I'm on my lunch break right now. ( ๑ ❛ ڡ ❛ ๑ )❤

Mimi: But everyone else should definitely sleep! ╰(◉ᾥ◉)╯

Mimi: Palmon and I will send Ken an email and keep an eye out for a reply! ヾ(ﾟ∀ﾟ○)ﾂ三ヾ(●ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ

Mimi: We'll make sure to tell him there's no hard feelings and he can come back already! =。:.ﾟ٩(๑ ω ๑)۶:.｡+ﾟ

Hikari: Ken will definitely be glad to hear you say that, Mimi! :)

Daisuke dragged his fingers across his scalp, his teeth scraping back and forth against one another as he tried, and failed to keep his frustration in check. It seemed as though he was the only one to take the situation with the seriousness it deserved.

Chibimon waddled over to his partner before sitting beside him, placing a paw on Daisuke's knee. "Daisuke?"

Daisuke froze, suddenly remembering that he wasn't alone before quickly putting his hands down. He turned away from the D-Terminal and the chat, but he couldn't quite meet his partner's gaze. "They spotted Ichijouji, but they don't want to go after him."

Chibimon's eyes widened at that. "What!? But why!?"

"Jerk's still hiding from us," Daisuke muttered, glaring at the wall. "He blocked us from tracking him, so apparently he could be anywhere by now because he's a damn coward who won't face us."

Chibimon growled in his throat. "Should we go ourselves? I bet I can track him!"

For a moment, Daisuke was tempted, but eventually he slumped against the bed with a defeated sigh. "What's the point? We haven't been able to track him down any of the other times we looked. This is the closest we've gotten in weeks, and he's already blocked us."

Chibimon paused at that before he drooped. "I guess…" He couldn't deny that, for all his boasts, he really hadn't been able to deliver on them up until that point.

When Daisuke was able to trust himself not to accidentally harm his partner with his tension, he reached over to stroke Chibimon's head lightly. "It's fine. We'll find him. Sooner or later, he's going to make a move, then we'll get him."

"Right," Chibimon said, still drooping. "He can't run forever, even if he tries really, really hard!"

"Right," Daisuke nodded before he pulled Chibimon close to him, resting his chin atop his partner's head. "Can't run from what happened forever."

* * *

"Lord Kaaaaiserrr! Lord Kaaaaiserrrr! Lord Kaaaaiserrrr!"

The chanting of the throng of Digimon came out like a dull roar, practically deafening. Digital monsters of all shapes and sizes stretched out as far as the eye could see, a literal sea of ecstatic Digimon chanting the name of someone who had been their oppressor in the not so distant past as they brandished his new banner - tyrian purple with a black trim - with great gusto.

The very sight of it was almost enough to leave the Digimon Kaiser speechless. Almost.

"Your implementation of my orders exceeded my expectations," the Digimon Kaiser said to Witchmon and FlaWizarmon as they stood a distance behind him. "I can see why Ken entrusted so many duties to the two of you."

"But of course, Kaiser-kun~!" FlaWizarmon said as he tugged down on the brim of his hat. "We live to serve, dontcha know."

"It was actually a lot easier than you'd think," Witchmon said with a giggle as she covered her mouth with her hand. "The Digimon Kaiser's name is already very well known and, given all of his accomplishments, it doesn't take much to get a Digimon to throw their support behind the winning side~! Especially if they're given a _choice_ in the matter."

"Strength is freedom," Dracomon said as he sat beside the Digimon Kaiser, staring out across the gathering of gleeful Digimon. "Strength is security. Strength is _victory_."

"Well then," the Digimon Kaiser said as straightened his glasses. "Let's give the Digimon what they're here for." He rose from his throne, his coat billowing behind him in the breeze, as he approached the edge of the balcony to greet his subjects. When his hand rose to the air, the crowd obediently quieted their cheers, some more reluctant than others.

The Digimon Kaiser touched a hidden button in his collar and his voice rang out across the packed stadium. "Digimon, in the past my name as been known to you as a source of fear and subjugation. This was all to prove my power to all of the Digital World, to show that no Digimon, not even the Holy Beasts, can stand before me. Now that you all know that no Digimon is stronger than I, there will be no more petty squabbles of the power hungry and cruel that killed countless of you time and time again. All will be welcome to live in peace under my banner; all will have a place in my new world order without senseless bloodshed; all will be given the chance to grow strong and evolve without end!"

A cheer of approval came from the crowd of Digimon as they began chanting again, in unison. "Lord Kaiser! Lord Kaiser! Lord Kaiser! Lord Kaiser!"

"Lord Kaiserrrr, I love yoooouuu!" a particularly overwrought Gazimon squealed as he waved his little paws, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"The difference is kinda night 'n day, yeah?" FlaWizarmon muttered, his voice low as he stared at the Digimon Kaiser from his position behind.

Witchmon nodded, her eyes sad. "Poor Ken-chan was too afraid to give the Digimon freedom. It's pretty amazing how Kaiser-kun has no fear when you consider where he's been."

FlaWizarmon let out a mirthless chuckle. "Reckon after the Dark Ocean, there's nothin' left for him _to_ fear."

A low hum rumbled in Witchmon's throat. "I suppose…" Her gaze strayed to FlaWizarmon with the spark of hope she tried not to fan. "Do you think that maybe, if Kaiser-kun could escape, then Zennyu…?"

FlaWizarmon hesitated before he lowered his head. He had the same misgivings that Witchmon had, as the possibility of hope was painful yet something he was desperate for. "...I reckon if there's a chance…" He then gave a small shake as he straightened up. "But if that's the case, then we better fix the mess before he shows up, yeah?" He flashed his comrade a lopsided grin. "We wouldn't want 'im to come home to _this_ , now would we?"

Witchmon gave her partner a lazy smile in return, showing a few razor sharp teeth. "Of course not. He'd give us the mother of all lectures for slacking off on our duties."

"So we better work twice as hard," FlaWizarmon said, his grin widening. "And make sure Kaiser-kun's weeeeell taken care of."

"And Ken-chan too," Witchmon added, sounding jovial in spite of the worry etched in the tension lines around her eyes.

"Ken-chan most of all," FlaWizarmon agreed.

* * *

The sound of Koshiro tapping away at his laptop echoed through the Yamagi living room as he brought up the screen he had seen the night before - the grid of the Digital World. It was very easy to see the large black blob that suddenly blocked out a large section of the map like a featureless sea of black.

"As you can see, it's gotten a little bigger since last night," Koshiro said. "Though its growth has slowed down considerably."

"But even a little growth is still too much," Yamato said as he tilted his head, his eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the screen.

"And you can't see anything going on anywhere here?" Taichi asked, gesturing to the screen, only to see Koshiro shake his head in response.

"It kind of reminds me of the Battlefield Memorial before it was purged," Takeru said, thoughtfully. "Just… overflowing Darkness obscuring everything."

"So what's this mean, Koshiro?" Taichi asked as he turned from the screen to his friend.

"I'm not completely sure, but it definitely doesn't feel like a good thing," Koshiro said as he switched to the scene from a Digital Gate. After adjusting the coordinates, only blackness appeared where there should have been a real time view of that location of the Digital World. "Like I said, whatever is going on there seems to have blacked out the Digital Gate from letting me see inside. I've been looking at the areas surrounding it, and strangely enough, a lot of Digimon are headed there."

" _That_ can't be good." Yamato said.

"Heading _to_ there? Not _away_ from there?" Takeru asked, with a blink.

Miyako cocked an eyebrow. "Well that's new."

"Did you see any Evil Rings on them?" Sora asked.

Koshiro shook his head. "Not as far as I could see. If they did have any, they weren't obvious."

"Ken isn't tainted anymore," Hikari said, sharp enough to startle the others. "So he can't use Keiko's or Ryo's crests like before. He can't create more Dark Towers, let alone Evil Rings."

"Did _he_ tell you that?" Daisuke asked, though his voice was more like a low grumble than an actual question directed at the Chosen of Light.

"FlaWizarmon told us that," YukimiBotamon said as she turned to glare at Daisuke. "When Ken wanted to use them to save Wormmon. In case you didn't _notice_ , that _didn't_ work out."

Daisuke flinched and turned away, refusing to meet the small Digimon's intense stare and instead focused on Chibimon as the dragon Digimon glowered back at her for him.

An awkward silence settled in as Hikari and Daisuke refused to look at each other while their partners glared daggers from across the room. The other Chosen Children shuffled uncomfortably as they glanced at each other, finding no immediate answer to help defuse the situation. Ultimately, there wasn't much they _could_ do - except hope that Hikari and Daisuke could resolve the situation themselves sooner rather than later.

Koshiro cleared his throat awkwardly, his hands fidgeting in his lap. "R-right, so, uh…" He trailed off, looking to the others imploringly for help in redirecting the conversation.

"Back to the topic at hand," Miyako said loudly, arms folded in front of her. "Ken is somehow involved with weirdness in the Digital World again."

"S-so then, what's going on?" Jou asked as he glanced around the room, as if someone else might have the answer.

"It would be impossible to know based off what we've seen," Iori said with a grim expression, crossing his arms. "All we know is that _something_ is happening."

"Well, then," Yamato straightened up from leaning over Koshiro's shoulder. "We don't have many options left, do we? Should we check it out?"

"We're not going to get anything done just standing around here," Taichi said. "Let's do it!"

A flurry of agreement came from the assembled Chosen Children, which was quickly followed by a Digital Gate being opened to the scene of the activity in the Digital World. Only those with infant Digimon stayed behind, along with Koshiro and Sora to provide support. The rest jumped straight in, ready to go.

While none of the children knew precisely what to expect, it most certainly _wasn't_ what they came across when the light of the Digital Gate faded away - a monstrous medieval style fortress crawling with energetic, cheerful Digimon. As the Chosen appeared within the foyer of the fortress, they were surrounded on all sides by Digimon that scurried about, hard at work. Some fortifying structures and patching holes while others carried supplies, more still stood guard in sentry positions along the high wall that surrounded the building.

The sight of the human children appearing out of nowhere was more than a little startling for the Digimon, to say the very least.

"I-intruders!" a Gazimon cried out, pointing a claw downward at the group as they gawked about in confusion. "Intruders have breached the fortress!"

"Sound the alarm!" called out a bear-like Digimon in a blue cap with blue straps about his claws, not surprisingly named Bearmon. He waved his claws about as he stood high on the wall. "Alert the boss!"

Immediately, the other Digimon stopped their work and whirled to gawk at the "intruders". Then, as realization of the situation hit them, the Digital Monsters quickly fled into the buildings proper, abandoning their work as they gave the Chosen a wide berth.

Taichi gawked at the Digimon as they fled in all directions. "The hell's going on?"

"No clue," Takeru said as he watched the Digimon flee, before his attention turned to the majestic purple banners that decorated the walls and towers. In particular, his eyes focused on the stylized tyrian purple symbol for gold that sat squarely in the middle of the banners of black. "Is that… Pride?"

"It definitely looks like it," Jou said as he drew closer to the banner, leaning forward for a better look as he adjusted his glasses. "But why?"

"Koshiro _did_ mention something about of Pride and Darkness on the scanner," Yamato said, thoughtfully. "It must be-"

"Ora-ora-ora-ora- _ora_!" a loud, guttural voice interrupted the Chosen Children's musings, turning their attention to a humanoid lion Digimon as he stormed out in to the foyer from the main building. He looked like some sort of cyborg, as his body resembled a black cybernetic bodysuit with metal plating, though he had a strange black band around his upper arm with the crest of Pride in purple on proud display. Only his head appeared organic, with a long golden mane framing his yellow face. His upper legs and arms had spiraling turbines with ridges resembling a drill bit and, much like the tool, they began to spin rapidly with a mechanical whirring sound as GrapLeomon pointed at them. "The hell you bastards doing!? You think you can just waltz in to the Digimon Kaiser's territory and not get your asses kicked!?"

"What?!" Taichi shouted, which was echoed by most of the Chosen Children. "The Digimon Kaiser's empire is gone! We smashed every last Dark Tower ourselves!"

"No shit, there ain't no towers!" GrapLeomon barked. "Don't see any Dark Towers 'round here, do ya!?" The lion Digimon clenched both his fists at the gawking boy. "Don't _need_ no towers to have an empire! Not _this_ time!"

Daisuke let out a curse as he pointed at the band of black wrapped around GrapLeomon's upper right arm. "Look! It's an Evil Ring!"

GrapLeomon paused at that, baffled. "An Evil whut?" He paused again before he glanced to his arm. "Oh, ya mean my band?" He suddenly puffed up, looking far more proud than he had any right to, putting his hands on his hips. "Yer damn _right_ I got one! It was given to me _personally_ by the Digimon Kaiser _himself_ as a sign of my loyalty! It means that if you wanna cause trouble for the Digimon Kaiser, you gotta deal with _me_!"

"Oh no," Mimi moaned, bringing her hands to her mouth. "It can't be!"

"I _knew_ it!" Daisuke snarled as he clenched his fists. "I _knew_ it!"

"It's got to be controlling him!" V-mon growled as he clenched his fists.

"Yeah," Takeru agreed, noting the other Digimon that crowded behind the cybernetic Digimon, all of them watching the Chosen with varying degrees of anxiety mingled with hostility. "Look! They all have one."

"Which means there _has_ to be a Dark Tower somewhere!" Yamato said as he clenched his fists. "Looks like it's business as usual!"

Taichi raised his Digivice, his expression grim, yet determined. "Let's do it!"

A unified shout of agreement came from the Chosen Digimon, and the light of evolution quickly overtook all as the combat-ready Digimon evolved to their Armor forms.

The Chosen Digimon attacked before the Digimon Kaiser's forces had a chance to rally a defense, slicing off black bands with efficiency they had mastered from months of destroying Evil Rings without harming Digimon underneath. However, instead of shattering as expected, the bands tore away like ordinary strips of cloth.

" _Hey_!" a Gazimon yelped in protest, gawking at his arm before whirling to shake his fist at the Chosen. "You _jerks_! What'd you do that for!?"

"You ruined it!" a Tsukaimon wailed. "My band's _ruined_!"

As the armor evolution of Gomamon, Shawujinmon, came at GrapLeomon, he was promptly met with a growl and the Digimon's fist to the face. However, even with the strike, the Kappa-like evolution was still able to slice off the cyborg's band.

That only served to make GrapLeomon even _more_ angry. With a snarl, he snagged Shawujinmon by the leg and threw him across the courtyard. "You _bastards_ wanna fight, you got it! I'll kick your _asses_ -"

GrapLeomon had no chance to finish his sentence before a white statue of a naked cherub with angel wings hit him solidly in the face, butt first. He crashed to the ground hard with an adorable puffy cheeked and very heavy child made of marble seated on his head.

Mimi stared while the cyborg recovered and flung the cherub off him with a furious shout, then turned to Daisuke. "Why do you have that Digimental again!?"

Daisuke could only shrug, somewhat sheepish in the face of the sour look Mimi shot his way. "Just sorta happened, I guess."

Mimi puffed out her cheeks and stamped her foot in frustration. "Mouuu…"

GrapLeomon sputtered as he got to his feet, murderous rage clear on his organic face, as well as the bruise that was beginning to form on his snout. "You… you _bastards_ … think you can just show up… smash our shit… and throw naked butt statues at me!?" He puffed up, raising both of his fists so that the turbines in his arms spun violently. " _Who you hell you think yer dealing with_!?"

"The Evil Rings are gone!" Gargomon said. "You-"

GrapLeomon responded by slamming his fist into Gargomon's face, sending the white gargoyle Digimon flying backwards into the wall. He didn't stop there, lunging after his fallen opponent in order to straddle Gargomon, giving him a good position to hail blows down on the pinned Chosen Digimon. "Take that, and that, and that, you _bastard_!"

"What the hell?!" Daisuke sputtered. "Why're you attacking Gargomon? He just freed you!"

"Don't just stand there!" GrapLeomon barked, even as he rained punches down on the pinned Gargomon. " _Kick their asses_!"

GrapLeomon's order seemed to snap the other Digimon out of their stupor, rallying the troops as they quickly gathered their courage and lunged at the Chosen Children.

" _For Lord Kaiser_!" came a shout from above as several Gazimon flung themselves off the top of the ramparts onto a startled Allomon, a blue T-Rex digimon with red stripes that served as Agumon's Courage-powered armor evolution. The small furry Digimon bit and clawed at the much larger opponent, the child Digimon banding together in an attempt to overtake him.

Meanwhile, several Sukamon with a crowd of Numemon quickly pulled their arms back before throwing pastel pink poop at Shutumon in her rainbow scarf, feces flying through the sky with deadly and disgusting precision.

Mimi shrieked at the sight of her partner getting splattered with poop and burned the offensive Digimon with a piercing glare. "Ew! That's so gross! Stop it right now!"

Unfortunately, their response was to fling poop at Mimi, forcing the Chosen Child to dodge the foul smelling projectiles with a screech.

GrapLeomon was suddenly rammed in the side by a golden-colored canine with a long fluffy tail and spiked mane, who was Patamon's Friendship-driven armor evolution. Siesamon's horn clanging noisily against the metal bodysuit as it failed to puncture the Perfect. The impact was still enough to send the lion Digimon off his pinned opponent, and to the ground.

"Are you alright, Gargomon?" the final armor evolution, a long-necked purple dragon man evolution with a bulky red chestplate and black leather chaps, asked as he rushed to crouch in front of Siesamon and the downed Digimon. It was Arresterdramon, Gabumon's evolution, and his long tail whipped about the spade-like tip in a threat as he brought up his orange-gloved claws defensively.

"I-I'm fine," Gargomon said as he got up, his face somewhat bruised and battered. "But talk about _gratitude_!"

" _Gratitude_? I'll give ya _gratitude_!" GrapLeomon growled as he got to his feet and lifted his own fists in a threat. "I'll _gratitude_ ya right in the _face_!" He lunged forward, swinging at Arresterdramon, who swiftly blocked the first with his forearms.

GrapLeomon retaliated by bringing about his other arm to side-swipe the dragon's face with his spinning forearms, and the sound of metal hitting scales shrieked through the air at the same time as Arresterdramon's own cry.

"Arrest-!" Siesamon began before GrapLeomon swiftly kicked him, giving him a taste of what his comrade had felt, right in his side. He yowled as he went rolling, hitting the ground roughly.

"Siesamon!" Takeru cried out, rushing to his partner's side.

"W-why… why are they still hostile!?" Jou demanded, sweating anxiously. "The Evil Rings are gone! So why-!?"

"Hey!" Daisuke shouted at the attacking Digimon. "Knock it off! Don't you know we're trying to save you from the Digimon Kaiser!?"

Unfortunately for Daisuke, all he got for his efforts was a piece of poop flung at his face. Though he brought his arms up in nick of time, the pink reeking goo simply splattered all over him.

"Forget the Digimon!" GrapLeomon shouted as he threw his claw about to point at the Chosen Children. " _Poop the humans_!"

The Sukamon and Numemon quickly turned their attention to the rest of the gawking children, who had little time to process what was happening before they too became the targets of Digital Monster bowel movements. Chaos reigned as the humans panicked, scrambling about to avoid the projectiles without much success. Even with the Digimon doing their best to protect their partners, the fecal matter was getting everywhere and on everything.

It was far too much for Mimi.

"I can't… I _can't_!" Mimi shrieked, shaking her fists with helpless horror as the disgusting projectiles splattered everywhere around - _and on_ \- her. She whipped out her Digivice, tears in her eyes. " _Digital Gate open_!"

A bright flash of light answered Mimi before she lunged into the gate, with Shutumon following after her partner. The other Chosen were quick to follow, abandoning course as they fled into the gate and _away_ from the poop-flinging Digimon.

The trip back was rough, with the humans being thrown across the living room floor - and with them, piles of feces that had been thrown into the gate. As Digimon de-evolved in to their filth-smeared child forms, the human Chosen gingerly sat up and surveyed the damage.

Sora covered her mouth and nose with her hand, horror clear on her face. "Oh my god…"

" _Yuck_!" Pafumon said as she wrinkled her nose. "You all smell _awful_!"

"F-feces tends to stink." Iori said as he lifted his shirt to cover his nose and mouth.

YukimiBotamon stared at the Chosen on the floor, with piles of excrement surrounding them, before she looked up at Hikari. "Your mother's going to have a _fit_."

Hikari pinched her nose shut, her eyes watering, as she gave a small nod.

Mimi let out a whine as she clenched her fists, then stood up. "I'm _done_! I'm done, I'm done, I'm done! I'm going home to take a _shower_!" She whirled to her partner. "Let's go, Palmon!"

Palmon grimaced as she gingerly looked at her rainbow scarf, tears beading at the corners of her eyes. "I-it's even on Kyoumon's scarf…!"

Sora watched as Mimi quickly gated back out with Palmon, no doubt intending to do her gate hopping to get home, before she turned to the others. "I… think you _all_ need to take a shower. Right now. I-immediately."

"I a-agree," Koshiro said, holding his own hand over his nose and mouth. "We can discuss what happened a-after you've cleaned off the… after you've cleaned up."

Hikari watched as the Chosen Children quickly agreed and scattered, with Taichi and Agumon racing for the bathroom while the others hurried to the front door so that they could return home. With the bulk of the mess gone, she turned to help Sora, Iori, Miyako, and Koshiro as they tried to clean up what remained as best they could before her parents got home.

After all, it was the least the five could do, given they didn't face the brunt of the horror.

As she cleaned, Hikari couldn't help but let her thoughts wander to what had happened, and feel an overwhelming sense of discontent. The fact that the Digimon had mentioned the Digimon Kaiser at all was very concerning, but the black bands and the numerous banners didn't help matters in the slightest.

It couldn't have been Ken. Even if he seemed like the obvious answer, it didn't explain the Crest of Pride or the black bands made of fabric. But more than anything, it was the lack of Dark Towers and Evil Rings that convinced her that Ken couldn't have been involved.

Ken was too terrified to trust any Digimon but three with their free will.

"There's no way," Hikari murmured.

"I agree," YukimiBotamon said as she looked up at her partner from the floor. "Everyone's very quick to blame Ken again, but we know better."

Hikari gave a small nod, her expression pained.

"We _saw_ the taint being burned out of him," YukimiBotamon said. "Whatever's happening, Ken _can't_ be involved."

"But if it's not him, then who?" Hikari asked, turning to her partner. "They even used the Digimon Kaiser's name…"

"That actually doesn't mean much," YukimiBotamon said. At Hikari's incredulous stare, she shook her head. "No, hear me out. I'm not saying this based off of blind faith - I'm saying this based off of _experience_."

"Experience?" Hikari repeated, blinking.

"When I worked for Vamdemon," YukimiBotamon said. When Hikari's expression grew troubled, the she looked away and stared up at the ceiling. "Vamdemon's reputation spanned the Digital World, where even mere whispers of his name would send everyone in to a panic. Most of the time, simply invoking his name was enough to get other Digimon to grovel for their lives before you. They'd have no idea if you were lying or not, but definitely didn't want to take that chance. And someone using Vamdemon's name without his permission was the one putting themselves in the most risk, if he ever found out."

"So, you're saying… someone could be using Ken's name like that," Hikari murmured. "Using his reputation to take over his empire and claim it for themselves."

"The Digimon Kaiser has a bigger reputation than Vamdemon ever had, so it'd be only natural that someone feeling particularly _opportunistic_ might see it as a chance to cash in," YukimiBotamon said gravely. "And they might think there's a low risk of Ken - of the Digimon Kaiser - punishing them for it as he hasn't been around for weeks. And by the time he _did_ find out, they'd be in a good enough to defend themselves." She then gave Hikari a crooked grin. "Which is a moot point anyway, as I sincerely doubt Ken would want _anything_ to do with that moniker ever again."

"Right," Hikari said as she nodded. She was quiet for a moment as she shoved the soiled paper towels she had been using on the floor into a trash bag. "So it's actually… really possible that it's not Ken. There's an actual explanation…"

"Of course," YukimiBotamon said, brightly. "Don't go doubting yourself now, over something like this. Until we _actually_ see Ken, there's no proof."

"Right," Hikari said softly, "You're absolutely right."

YukimiBotamon wiggled her ears as she stared up at her partner, then hummed thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, we don't know who they are, or what they want. But if they're trying to revive the Digimon Kaiser's empire…"

"We'll stop them," Hikari said, firmly. She then turned to her partner. "But first, we need to find Ken."

"Right," YukimiBotamon said, flicking her ears. "He's our priority."

Hikari nodded, her mouth drawn in a grim line. She had failed to save Ken once; she wouldn't fail again.

* * *

The Digimon Kaiser sat in his newly christened throne, watching the screens as lines of data and information poured across them. At his feet, Dracomon stretched out like a cat, eyes closed. However, the seemingly relaxed appearance was not a sign of an equally relaxed guard, as Dracomon's eyes immediately snapped open as he turned to stare at the closed doorway, watching and waiting until it suddenly opened and FlaWizarmon entered the room.

"Yo, Kaiser-kun," FlaWizarmon said as he gave a salute with his pointer and index finger against his brow before flicking them forward. "Looks like the Chosen got wind of our rebuilding efforts, and got into a little _scuffle_ at one of the bases." He crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "They tore up your pretty new bands like Christmas paper, but got alotta _shit_ for their efforts."

Witchmon drifted in alongside FlaWizarmon, riding her broom. She lifted one of her large hands to her mouth as she let out a giggle, grinning mischievously. "Literally~!"

The Digimon Kaiser didn't so much as glance at the pair, entirely focused on scouring the data before him. His expression remained unchanged, neither pleased nor irritated at the news. "Do whatever you like to keep them out of the way. We've got more important things to worry about than idiots bumbling around blindly into things they don't understand."

FlaWizarmon's grin widened as he turned to meet Witchmon's gaze, then back to the Digimon Kaiser. "You got it, Kaiser-kun."

"Our pleasure, dearie," Witchmon said, giggling again.

The Digimon Kaiser didn't acknowledge the pair as they left, his eyes never leaving the screen. He continued on in silence, combing over the data as Dracomon settled down again, closing his eyes.

* * *

The fires of Zhuqiaomon's lair smoldered, much like the anger that coursed through the Holy Beast's veins. To his credit, or perhaps his arrogance, Neemon seemed unperturbed even as the flaming sparrow Digimon's own minions cowered in shadows, not daring to approach as brazenly as the noodly Digimon did to their master's throne.

Zhuqiaomon fixed his four eyes on Neemon, each one blazing like the fires around him. "I sent you four to eliminate that brat for good, and instead you - and he - return to this world and my Devas do not."

"It's a tragic part of this job," Neemon gave far too casual of a shrug. "Sometimes your minions don't come back and rescue won't come for them." He flashed a smile that was all teeth. "Seems Miracles never cease when it comes to those brats."

Zhuqiaomon's eyes narrowed as the fire that made up his body bristled like feathers. "Is that so."

"Sad truth is that only one of your minions ever took any of them down," Neemon said while picking his nose. "And that was after years of waiting for the right opportunity for their luck to run out. It's going to take time to get the rest of the set."

Zhuqiaomon was silent for several moments as he continued to smolder. Then, finally, his feathers appeared to sooth down. "Then it is time for us to make our own Miracles. I trust that, at the very least, you did not lose _that_ crest?"

Neemon rubbed his fingers together before flicking away what was on them. " _I_ never lost anything. Your Devas couldn't hold onto the two I gave them." Reaching into his pants, he pulled out the Crest of Miracles and idly twirled it around his finger. "Unlike them, I'm a professional."

Zhuqiaomon's eyes narrowed again before relaxing, as did the rest of his demeanor. "As you say."

The rest of the Holy Beast's servants visibly relaxed as well, more out of relief at their master's improved mood.

Neemon barely opened a slit of an eye. "Don't worry about Kindness getting away, boss. I'm not going to let him live after I'm done having my fun with him." He closed his eye and smiled in an almost serene manner. "Killing Chosen Children is what I do best after all~!"

"I expect you to pay him back a hundredfold for everything he has done," Zhuqiaomon said, his tone like a rattlesnake's tail. "To the Digital World, and to _me_."

Neemon let out a chuckle as he pat his scarred stomach. "You don't need to tell _me_ that."


	3. Chapter 3

To say that the Chosen were unhappy with how their first contact with the Digimon Kaiser's new army went would have been an understatement. In a space saturated with the smell of industrial cleaner, the atmosphere permeating the Yamagi living room was both grouchy and awkward. Each emotion came from one of two respective groups - those that had gotten pooped and those that had not.

Worse still, there was a sense that the assembled Chosen Children wanted to talk about what happened as strongly as they _didn't_ want to even think of such a disgusting incident. It once again split straight down the lines between those that had experienced the fecal horror and those that had not. In the end, it left the Chosen just stewing in silence, staring at each other.

Miyako was the first to crack from the tension. Slapping her hands against her knees, she rose from her chair and threw her arms out. "Okay, we have _got_ to talk about what happened yesterday!"

"No!" Mimi blurted out instantly, arms folded against her chest as she shrank into the sofa. "We're not talking about that ever again! Do you know how many hours Palmon and I spent in the bath last night?"

"Even when it was gone, it still felt like I was covered in it," Palmon muttered, sagging her body as she sat on the floor by Mimi.

"We took another shower before we came here today!" Mimi added with a huff as she rubbed her arms. She could still feel the gross glop clinging to her skin, even though she had scrubbed herself raw "Mama had to take a hose to our clothes then send them to a dry cleaner that deals with _dirty diapers_!"

"Yes, well," Iori began, slowly. "Something important happened that does need to be discussed. Not the… rest of it, of course. But we can't ignore the fact that the Digimon rather willingly… resisted. Of their own accord and… ah, in their own ways."

"By flinging shit at us," Daisuke intoned, his expression deadpanned. "Literally."

"Lots of shit." Chibimon growled, his ears canted back. "Lots and lots of shit."

Mimi clamped her hands over her ears. "Noooo! Stop saying that! You're making me feel gross all over again!"

"At least you didn't have to help clean up the whole apartment after _your_ bath," Taichi muttered out of the side of his mouth. His fingers still itched from all the soap and cleaner.

Hikari shot Taichi an apologetic look, feeling a pang of guilt that she knew was irrational. Still, that did nothing to stop her from feeling bad that she and the others had been unable to finish cleaning by the time Taichi and Agumon tromped out of the bath soaking and grouchy just in time for their parents to get home.

Their parents' reaction was almost as ugly as the poo explosion all over the living room.

"I don't know if Takeru and I can ever show our faces at that public bath again," Yamato said as he sagged his arms over the edge of the chair he was sitting in, straddling it so that his arms draped over the back.

Takeru let out an awkward laugh as he glanced at his brother. "A-at least not for a while."

"Same here," Daisuke grunted. "And the laundromat." His voice dropped down to an almost unintelligible grumble. "And Jun _still_ caught a whiff of it when we got home and railed on me for it."

Chibimon's tail gave a loud smack against the floor, his face twisting in to something rather ugly for such a cute baby face.

Sora naturally felt sympathetic, and she couldn't deny the fact that she had been _relieved_ that she had avoided the others' fate - which in turn added guilt on top of everything else. "Y-yes, that's true… but they did it without being controlled."

"Which means no Dark Towers or Evil Rings," Miyako added.

"In other words," YukimiBotamon said. "Things are _different_."

"Yeah," Daisuke said snidely. "The Digimon Kaiser got Digimon to work with him without brainwashing them this time. He probably lied about being their friend too."

Hikari twitched, her blazing eyes darting to meet Daisuke's despite her better judgement. "Ken wasn't pretending to be our friend!"

"Why the hell do you think he approached us in the first place?" Daisuke snapped, though he cringed back a moment later when he realized he had yelled at Hikari. A twist of his gut forced his gaze away, but he refused to back down. "Can you really tell me that the only reason he bothered to talk to me… us. Us, in the first place was because he _wasn't_ planning on using us? That he wasn't trying to spy on us and trick us and screw around with us like all that time in the Digital World even after he supposedly started helping us and-"

"Okay!" Miyako practically shouted as she clapped her hands together loudly. Once she caught the others' attention she lowered the volume of her voice, but only slightly. "Lemmie stop you right there, Daisuke. None of us are in the mood to listen to another 'Ken is evil and deserves all my punches' rant."

Daisuke bristled and folded his arms tight against his chest as he glared down at the carpet.

"Not to say that you don't have a point," Miyako added, ignoring the look Hikari shot her way. "Ken probably did plan to use us when he started sucking up to you - _at first_ \- but you've got to remember he was screwed up by years of Dark Ocean taint and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and wasn't in his right mind."

"And he _became_ our friend anyway in spite of all that!" Hikari added a little more harshly than she intended.

"My point is…," Miyako continued as though she hadn't been interrupted. "Ken screwed up. We all know he screwed up and none of us are happy about it. That doesn't mean we should stop caring about him. It's not like you want something bad to happen to him, right?" She paused, scrunching her nose up a bit. "Well, again, I mean."

Daisuke flinched, his fingers digging into his elbows as a slight tremor ran through his body. Not trusting himself to speak, he merely shook his head.

Taichi left his seat by Sora at the table to lean over the back of the sofa and squeeze Daisuke's shoulder, startling the younger goggle boy into looking up at him. "Hey, I get it. Sometimes friends piss you off and you can't stop from wanting to beat the crap outta them." He cocked his head in Yamato's direction and gave his friend a wan smile. "And sometimes fights make you do dumb things and drive your friends off on their own for a while, and you're both gonna stew for a while after that. It happens."

Yamato returned the smile with one of his own. "Yeah. But eventually, you both deal with it and come out the better for it. And take that from someone who had his own crippling doubts to fight with."

Sora glanced over at Taichi and Yamato before she looked down at her hands, watching as she laced her fingers together and gripped them tightly.

Mimi nodded, brow furrowing a bit with discomfort. "That's right. We all split apart from the others sometimes back when we first started out when we were… not getting along."

It was comforting, Daisuke had to admit, that no one was yelling at him for his grudge against Ken, but it also made him feel increasingly guilty. The other Chosen Children were so much more mature, so much more forgiving than he was. He felt small and petty because, for everything they said, he still couldn't untangle the knot of anger and complicated feelings he had for Ken.

However, before the conversation could continue any further, a loud beep echoed through the room as all the Chosen Children received an email message simultaneously. The tone was unfamiliar, immediately ruling out the usual suspects, which left the assembled children staring at each other blankly before going to their DT2s to see what had been sent.

The sender's email address was a garbled mess of incoherent characters, but the message itself was perfectly clear.

 _Help! The bad Digimon are attacking our fields! Please help us!_

"Who… sent this?" Takeru asked slowly as he stared at his screen. At least for all the other emails, a name was given - Centarumon, Jijimon, Narakumon - if not a proper address. The only one who sent emails without one was Keiko, but there was no way this message was from her.

"It doesn't matter!" Taichi said, a little relieved by the distraction from such a heavy topic. "Someone's in trouble! It has to be the Digimon Kaiser's army!"

"Or someone else," Hikari added, shooting her brother a glare.

Taichi blinked, startled by such a harsh expression on his little sister's face, but recovered quickly to flash Hikari a sheepish smile. "Or someone else, yeah. Either way, someone needs our help!"

"Well, only one way to find out," Yamato said as he lifted his Digivice.

There was considerably more reluctance to gate into the Digital World this time, but in the end, they all dutifully summoned their courage and arrived at the coordinates given in the email, ready for whatever might be thrown their way.

Upon arriving, the Chosen Children were greeted by orderly rows of cultivated plants - fields for farming. However, the crops they found were not waves of grain, corn, tomatoes, or any other typical crop they might find back in the real world. Instead, what blossomed was _meat_ \- tons and tons of _meat_. Even more baffling, they were large chunks of meat attached to a bone of some kind - a bone that was growing out of the ground, lined up in hundreds of neat little rows.

Yamato stared at their surroundings, his expression blank as his eyes drifted across the fields before him. Despite all the weirdness the Digital World had thrown at them over the years, he still found himself absolutely befuddled. "What."

Takeru stood by his brother, his expression similar to Yamato's, but it quickly evaporated into something not unlike defeat. "Yeah, okay. Why not."

"Well, that's certainly a sight that would blow a vegetarian's mind," Pafumon said as she flickered her ears while sitting on Miyako's head, looking at the screen through Koshiro's laptop. "You think it comes pre-seasoned or do you have to do that yourself?"

Miyako let out a hum as she stroked her chin. "Maybe they need to do selective breeding to yield different flavors."

Iori felt a bead of sweat trickle down his cheek. "This is… not very logical."

Koshiro let out an awkward laugh as he glanced at the others."It's… the Digital World. That's all you can really say."

"So these are the, ah... 'fields' that are under attack?" Sora asked, placing her curled left hand against her chest as she glanced about at the rest of the group with her in the Digital World. "Everything seems so peaceful."

"Yeah," Taichi said as he scanned the area. "That's pretty weird. You see anything, Agumon?"

Agumon shook his head, his eyes straying to the crops as he started to salivate. "Nope, nothing except some tasty looking meat."

"Maybe it's somewhere further along, deeper in the fields?" Jou asked. "Should we split up-"

" _Hey_!" a small voice barked, causing the Chosen Children to jump and turn towards the source. It was revealed to be a little green turtle in a blue soldier hat known as Kamemon, who glared at the group with his hands on his shell-covered hips. Right away, the humans saw the Digimon Kaiser's band proudly displayed on his left arm. "What are you doing here!? You're trespassing on Digimon Kaiser property!"

"The Digimon Kaiser!?" V-mon repeated before he clenched his fists. "He's causing trouble here too!?"

"I knew it!" Daisuke shouted before pointing at the banded Digimon. "Hold it right there! We're not going to let you get away with attacking innocent Digimon and stealing their their food!"

"If anyone's causing trouble, it's _you_!" An Alraumon, snapped who looked like a spitting image of Palmon except for her darker green skin and purple pedals. She pointed her tendriled fingers at the group. "No one invited you and you're just waltzing around _our_ fields? You're so suspicious!"

"I bet _you're_ the ones trying to steal _our_ food!" Kamemon said as he clenched his fists.

"That's _our_ line!" V-mon said as he shook his fist at the child Digimon. "You can't just take someone else's fields and say they're yours!"

"And _you_ can't just show up and say they're not our fields!" Alraumon snapped as she flapped her arms in a small tantrum. "No matter how you look at it, you're being a troublemaker!"

"Says the troublemaker!" V-mon shot back.

"Says the _double trouble_ maker!" Kamemon retorted before he pulled down his eyelid to stick his tongue at the small dragon Digimon.

"This isn't going particularly well," Gabumon said as he watched the exchange with a worried stare.

"No, it's not," Yamato agreed as he crossed his arms.

Taichi scratched his head. "Oh boy…"

"You said it," Agumon said while imitating his partner.

"What should we do?" Sora asked as she glanced at the others. "I don't see anyone besides them…"

"What if they really are their fields?" Piyomon asked as she tilted her head, looking at her partner.

"W-well, obviously they took the fields from _someone._ We got that distress email, after all," Jou said with a nod, placing his hands on his hips. "And they're in Ken's - the Digimon Kaiser's army, so it wouldn't have been through friendly negotiation."

"You got that right," Gomamon said. "About as friendly as a fist to the face, I'd say."

"So, what?" Taichi asked as he watched the Child Digimon wearing the Kaiser's bands squabble with V-mon. "Smack 'em down and take it back?"

"Of course!" Daisuke shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

"It's really weird, but we can't let them do whatever they want," Agumon said with a nod. "Especially when they're hurting other people."

Takeru frowned. He couldn't deny that his friends had a point, but something about the situation didn't feel right. "Patamon, can you take a look-"

" _Oooooooooooooooraaaaaaaaaaaaa_! The hell's goin' on over here!?"

All the Chosen Children and their Digimon jumped again and turned in time to see the new loud arrival, the sight of whom made all their stomachs sink - it was GrapLeomon. He was surrounded by a throng of Child Digimon of all shapes and sizes, who ushered him onwards towards the site of the confrontation, like children tattling to their teacher.

"Someone darin' to cause trouble in the Digimon Kaiser's lands is just _askin'_ for-" GrapLeomon growled as he stomped over, then froze. He stared at the Chosen, his eyebrows shooting straight up, before rage quickly consumed his features. " _You bastards again!?_ "

Taichi cringed, remembering all too clearly what happened last time they crossed paths with GrapLeomon. "Crap!"

"Is that the same GrapLeomon!?" Jou yelped as he jerked back, his glasses sliding down his nose. "What's he doing _here_!?"

"I'm in charge of this whole damn area!" GrapLeomon growled as he lowered his head while raising his fists, taking a battle stance. "I thought we taught your asses good, but I guess you need another _shitty time_ for the lesson to really _sink in_!"

" _No_!" Mimi screamed, horror ripping into righteous anger at the thought of another assault of fecal matter. "Not again! _Never again!_ " She raised her Digivice with murder in her eyes. "Get him, Palmon!"

Palmon crouched as she glared at GrapLeomon before she began to glow. Within seconds, she was replaced by Rosemon, her rainbow cape fluttering behind her. She pulled her vine whip tight between her hands. "Bad boys will be _punished_."

"Go ahead and try it, Miss Venus-Booby-Trap!" GrapLeomon said with a growl as he clenched his fists, causing the threads lining his upper arms to spin violently. "You come snoopin', you get a whoopin'!"

A loud cheer erupted from GrapLeomon's subordinates even as the other Chosen gawked in shock at the sudden explosion of violence. The throngs of Kaiser-led Digimon continued to cheer as GrapLeomon lunged at Rosemon, who in turn met his attack with a swift kick to his stomach. It was enough to make the cyborg Digimon miss her with his whirling fists as she launched herself backwards with a smooth flip.

"Kick her ass!" Kamemon shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth to help his voice carry. "You can do it, Boss!"

"T-things have escalated quickly!" Jou stammered as he glanced around wildly, then turned to the others. "W-what should we do!?"

"There's no way GrapLeomon'll stand a chance against Rosemon," Taichi remarked as he watched the fight, taking in how Rosemon practically danced around her opponent. "So this is gonna be over with quickly."

A chime caught Taichi's attention, driving him to open up his D-Terminal. Seeing Miyako's face on the screen caused him to jerk back before he remembered about the new functions the DT2s had that the original versions lacked.

"You might want to remind Mimi that the Village of Beginnings is broken," Miyako said flatly. "So going around killing Digimon might not be a good idea right now."

"What?!" Mimi practically shrieked as she whirled around in Taichi's direction with wide eyes. Before the Chosen of Courage could react, she snatched the D-Terminal out of his hands. "No one's killing anyone!" she shouted into the screen as she pointed wildly in the direction of GrapLeomon. "Rosemon is just teaching that jerk a lesson about throwing _poop_ on people!"

Miyako's mouth twisted slightly. "You sure Rosemon knows that?"

"Of course!" Mimi huffed, putting one hand on her hip. "Rosemon knows better than anyone that killing is wrong!"

Miyako readjusted her glasses. "Well, yeah, but-"

"We're not killing anyone if we don't have to!" Mimi snapped, cutting the younger girl off. "No matter how gross they are." With that she shoved the D-Terminal back into Taichi's hand and stomped a few steps away to fume before she started venting her anger on Miyako.

Taichi hesitated for a moment before looking down on the screen. "Yeah, uh… I'm kind of with Mimi on this one. These Digimon have been annoying, but we haven't actually seen them hurting anyone…"

Miyako held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. Forget I ever said anything."

"That reminds me," Yamato said, glancing over Taichi's shoulder in time to see the call end. "Where's the Digimon that sent that email?"

Taichi brought the email up on his D-Terminal, frowning. "This is the place it said to meet, but it doesn't say who it's from. Maybe they're hiding from the Digimon Kaiser army?"

"If they weren't already deleted," Yamato muttered.

Taichi grimaced, feeling sick to his stomach at the idea. Digimon dissolved completely when they were killed, which meant there was no evidence, not even a stain left behind. It was a valid point, he had to admit, but even still…

"I dunno," Taichi finally said. "Something doesn't feel right about fighting these guys." He gestured to the banded Digimon. "I mean, yeah, they threw crap at us, but they didn't actually try to hurt any of us. And if they're not being brainwashed, and we don't _really_ know they're actually hurting any other Digimon, then-"

"Dum Dum Upper!"

A blur of black and brown streaked between the combatants and the butt end of a gatling gun slammed into GrapLeomon's jaw, sending the cyborg lion flying away from a startled Rosemon. The new Digimon resembled a large, bulky anthropomorphic dog, a terrier to be exact, wearing baggy pale green jeans and having two gatling guns for forearms. He was black with tan ear tips, stomach, muzzle, feet, and upper arms. He had red stripes on his cheeks that matched the red diamond on his forehead, and his delighted red eyes focused on GrapLeomon with sharp intensity.

With wide ears spread, the Black Galgomon laughed and unleashed a hailfire of bullets from his arm. "Gatling Arm!"

"What the!?" Mimi yelped as she stared at the newcomer that fired upon the Digimon Kaiser's Digimon with reckless abandon.

GrapLeomon grunted as he brought up his arms to shield his face from the surprise attack, bullets ricocheting off of metal. He glanced back out of the corner of his eyes at the stunned child Digimon serving under him. "Take cover! These bastards are out to _kill_!"

Their leader's words startled the Digimon, who quickly fled in a blind panic to hide behind whatever they could - with the only thing available being the rows of meat, which splattered their delicious juices whenever a bullet hit one.

With the weaker Digimon now taking cover, GrapLeomon returned his attention to the cackling Black Galgomon, and the stunned Rosemon behind him. "So _this_ is the power of the Chosen Children, eh!? Thinking you can just kill whoever you want, 'cuz yer special!? At least be honest about it like the Digimon Kaiser, and not try an' pretend yer better than the rest of us!"

"Who the heck is that?" Taichi shouted, half raising his Digivice in preparation for a fight.

As the Chosen Children scrambled, Black Galgomon focused exclusively on his opponent. Shooting an unending barrage of bullets, he lunged forward towards GrapLeomon before attempting to plant one of his gatling guns directly in the cyborg lion's face. GrapLeomon jerked back, narrowly avoiding a chin full of lead as he slammed his foot in to his opponent's pudgy stomach, sending him flying backwards.

Black Galgomon stopped shooting as he flipped through the air, but landed easily enough on his feet despite the force of the blow. He gave the gear mechanisms of his arms a quick whirl before aiming them at GrapLeomon again, a smirk on his face.

"[You have quite the nerve, causing so much trouble for these innocent people… but to attack a beautiful lady? That is truly unforgivable!]"

The sound of English startled the Chosen Children, most of whom couldn't fully understand the words, their expressions blank. Those that did, however, were far more focused on something else - how familiar the voice was.

"Wait… that voice…" Takeru murmured, his eyes widening. "That… can't be…"

GrapLeomon righted himself as he crouched, warily watching Black Galgomon. "Who's spoutin' that gibberish? Show yourself, an' I'll give ya something to yammer about!"

With a grand flourish, a boy about their age with fluffy blonde hair and blue eyes stepped out from his hiding place behind an almost comically large hunk of meat, his arms crossed and a confident smile on his face. He wore what appeared to be a pale purple jersey over a white long-sleeve shirt, with dusty gray pants and pale purple sneakers with gray laces and soles.

"[We'll teach you a lesson about being a gentleman,]" the boy said. "[One you won't soon forget.]"

Mimi gasped, shocked by the newcomer's entrance. "Wallace!? [What're you doing here?]"

Wallace turned to flash Mimi a smile. "[My dear, isn't it obvious~?] I am here to rescue you!"

"From what?" Rosemon asked, with a blink that was felt rather than seen due to the veil of petals covering her eyes.

Wallace misstepped and nearly fell over at that flat question, even as he attempted to keep his smile on his face. "F-from this terrible beast, of course."

Rosemon stared at Wallace before turning to GrapLeomon, who crouched defensively in anticipation of a new attack as he glared at them with hate-filled eyes. She then turned back to Wallace and Black Galgomon. "I didn't need your help."

"Nevermind that!" Taichi shouted as he ran over to Wallace and grabbed the blond by the wrist. "Do you know what this means?" He glanced around at the others as excitement bubbled over in a display of wild gestures towards Wallace. "We found the last Chosen Child!"

Wallace blinked before his smile returned in full force. However, no sooner did he open his mouth to respond when a sharp litany of voices pierced the air.

" _Surprise attaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack_!"

The Chosen Children jerked and looked up just in time to see a hailstorm of meat raining down on them. Meat of all shapes and sizes were hurled through the air by the Child Digimon, with them plucking up more from the very fields they were so possessive of to fling it at their enemies. Tender meat splattered against the humans, with a spray of juices and a hint of barbecue sauce.

"Get away from the boss, you jerks!" Kamemon shouted.

"Awful, awful!" Alraumon agreed as she twirled two sirloins in either hand before flinging them right at Rosemon and Mimi, the former immediately shielding the latter. "You're simply _rotten_!"

"I-it ain't a surprise attack if ya announce it!" GrapLeomon barked at the others before he hesitated. His expression grew tender for a moment as he regarded his troops before growing serious once again. "Alright, ya bastards! Fall back, quick! I'm soundin' a retreat!"

"W-what… what-" Jou stammered as stumbled about, then yowled when a chunk of meat hit him solidly in the face, knocking off his glasses as he fell backwards onto the ground.

"Sora, get down!" Piyomon shouted before she quickly evolved to Birdramon, surging forward to form a barrier over her partner. She fanned her wings before sending a burst of flaming fireballs outward to knock away the attacking meat. "Meteor Wing!"

Sora crouched as she shielded her head with her arms, her eyes shut as she braced herself. When a piece of sizzling meat fell down beside her, she opened an eye before snapping both open to stare at it. "It's… it's cooked?! You cooked it!?"

Chaos reigned for several moments more, as meat continued to rain down on the Chosen Children and their Digimon, though the downpour lessened as each of the Kaiser's forces fled until the last lingering holdouts took the opportunity to retreat. In the end, the Chosen were left alone in the field, surrounded and covered by meat.

Takeru grimaced as he wiped the meat juice off his face, though it did little more than smear along his cheek, before picking a pork chop off his shoulder. "I can't tell if this is better or worse than being pelted with poop…"

"Better," Daisuke grumbled as he wiped his saucy hands on his shirt. "Definitely better. _In - fin - ite - ly_ better."

"Still sucks, though," V-mon grunted as he sagged his shoulders. He then blinked as his nose caught a sweet scent of barbeque and he turned to stare at his arm, sniffing at the sauce that covered it before tentatively giving it a lick.

Jou sat up groggily as Gomamon picked the pieces of delicious projectiles off him before scarfing down the moist morsels. He plucked his glasses off his face not just to clean off the smears of sauce, but to check if they were damaged - to his relief, they were. "That… that could've gone better."

"But we won, right?" Gomamon asked rhetorically. He ate another sampling of meat. "The sweet taste of victory… and smoked brisket."

Wallace wiped at his face with the back of his hand, then made to clean his hand on his shirt only to see that it was already splattered with various sauces. He blinked before chuckling wryly as he glanced towards Black Galgomon. "[Well, that was… interesting.]"

Black Galgomon gave a shug before he suddenly de-evolved, turning in to a much smaller anthropomorphic terrier Digimon with the same color scheme, minus the cybernetics and clothing. He hopped up to land on Wallace's shoulder, fanning his large ears. "[A victory is still a victory, right, Wallace?]"

Wallace flashed Black Terriermon a smile. "[That's right, Noir. It's like my dad says… it's important to accept that not everything will follow the script, and you'll just have to improvise. That's when you really get your chance to shine.]"

"[Or get covered in meat,]" Noir said before he giggled and stuck his tongue out.

Wallace laughed. "[I'll admit, this is definitely not something I ever thought I'd experience today, or ever.]"

Mimi rushed over to Wallace's side, narrowing her eyes at him as she let out a quiet huff. Palmon quickly hurried after her, having de-evolved from Rosemon moments prior. "[Wallace! Just _when_ were you planning on telling me you were a Chosen Child, too?!]"

Wallace blinked as he turned his attention to Mimi before he gave her a sly wink. "[When the time was right, of course~!]"

Mimi scowled while setting her hands on her hips, a rumble of displeasure escaping her as she shot Wallace a look that was full of daggers.

Wallace laughed before he raised his hands defensively. "[Sorry, sorry, I couldn't help myself. To be honest, Noir's egg only hatched recently. I wasn't sure about anything until that moment, so there wasn't anything to say.]"

Palmon blinked. "Noir?"

Wallace tilted his head towards Black Galgomon, an easygoing smile on his face. "[That's my partner's name - Noir.]"

"[Wallace gave me a name!]" Noir replied before he gave Palmon a mischievous grin. "[Jealous~?]"

Palmon blinked before she pursed her lips in a pout. "[Of course not!]"

"Um…" Taichi scratched his head. "Could you repeat all that for those of us who have no idea what the heck you just said?" A chime on his D-Terminal startled him into opening it before anyone could answer, revealing a new video message from those still back in the real world.

Miyako gestured to the English speaking group from her position on the DT2s' screen. "Mimi was chewing Wallace out for not telling her he was a Chosen Child. Wallace said it just happened. Also, he calls his partner Noir."

"Noir?" Daisuke asked, confused. "That doesn't sound like a Digimon name."

"It's my name and I'm a Digimon," Noir said with a cheeky smile, wiggling his ears. "So that makes it a Digimon name - _my_ name~!"

"Huh," Takeru said with a blink, then looked up at Patamon. "I guess it never… occured to me to give you a name, Patamon." All this time, he had treated 'Patamon' as his partner's name as if he were the only Patamon, but only now did it dawn on him that there might be _other_ Patamon in the Digital World. After all, there was a village of Koromon, with each having the possibility of evolving in to Agumon - or rather, _an_ Agumon. "Does that bother you?"

"No," Patamon said as he looked down at his partner from atop Takeru's head. "Not really."

"This is wonderful!" Sora said as she moved to stand beside Mimi, smiling at Wallace. "How did it happen?"

"I found his egg after the fight," Wallace said, switching to Japanese. He spoke slowly and carefully, like someone without much practice or experience. "On Halloween, with the goat."

Yamato's eyes widened at that. "You mean… Mephismon?!"

"It must have summoned your egg there," Takeru said with a blink. "I didn't know that could happen… but I guess it makes sense. I mean, that's where you were, after all."

Wallace gave a nod. "The egg didn't hatch right away. I was worried."

"Worried?" Mimi repeated, curiously.

Wallace paused before he gave the Chosen of Purity an awkward smile. "[I didn't understand why he wasn't hatching, or if I had done something wrong. I kept taking care of him the best I could, but I was afraid that the egg might never hatch. Like maybe it's appearance didn't mean what I thought it meant.]"

"But then I _did_ hatch!" Noir chirped as he lifted his large ears upwards. "And just like that, here I am!"

"Wow," Daisuke murmured. "Noir must've made your temple show up at your house like V-mon did for me."

"Temple?" Wallace repeated, looking confused. "What temple?"

"Some of our Digimon got stashed in temples for safekeeping," Miyako said, prompting Wallace to shoot her an even more confused stare at the video screen of the DT2 as Taichi held it up for the others. She paused briefly before repeating what she said in English for good measure.

Koshiro grimaced "It was because Piedmon kidnapped eight of our Digimon while they were eggs. After that, the rest of the eggs were hidden away until we could summon them."

Wallace furrowed his brow, struggling to keep up with Koshiro's rapid Japanese. "I… don't remember a temple. A crater, yes, but no temple."

Koshiro hummed, folding his arms in front of him. "Maybe that's why your egg took so long to hatch. I doubt those temples were meant to appear in the real world, and if you called your egg to you there then…"

Daisuke's eyes lit up with a memory. "It must've been something weird like when Hikari made that giant egg in the sky! That wasn't normal for anyone else, right?"

Hikari poked her head into view of the computer screen and, although she didn't look at Daisuke, she still responded at the mention of her. "I'm not sure anything is really ever 'normal' when it comes to us or Digimon. Noir probably came to you because you needed him, Wallace."

Wallace blinked at that before his expression softened. He instinctively reached up to ruffle the fur on the top of Noir's head, causing the Black Terriermon to giggle. "I see… because I needed him..."

"Like when Takeru and me needed saving from brainwashed Digimon," Daisuke added as he flashed his partner a smile. "You showed up in the nick of time, right, pal?"

"You bet!" V-mon replied as he grinned back at Daisuke, clenching his fists together as he raised them up.

Takeru glanced at Daisuke and V-mon before glancing up at Patamon discreetly. It was considerate of Daisuke not to mention _who_ they had needed saving from - there was no point in dredging up something that wasn't Patamon's fault, especially since just the veiled mention already brought a grimace to his partner's face.

Wallace glanced at Daisuke before looking about at the rest of the group. He paused after a moment and furrowed his brow before turning to look at Daisuke. "Ah, your boyfriend is not here?"

"Huh?" Daisuke stared blankly at Wallace, as if the blond had abruptly switched back to English.

"I was a bit worried about meeting him again," Wallace said with an awkward laugh as he reached up to scratch at his cheek with his left pointer finger. "I didn't apologize for my mistake. I felt guilty for that."

"I _told_ Wallace that he probably didn't even remember it, but Wallace kept fussing and worrying!" Noir chirped before he slapped his paws over his cheeks, pushing them in to give himself a duck face. "Fuss, fuss, fuss!"

"Wait, hold on," Daisuke said, waving a hand as though it might change the flow of the conversation. "Go back. Did you just say _boy_ friend?"

"Yes," Wallace said with a blink. "Your boyfriend, the cute purple haired boy I bit at the party."

" _What!?_ " Daisuke screeched, his face turning cherry red. "You think Ken is my…!?"

Wallace jerked at Daisuke's reaction, his eyes going wide. He hesitated before quickly turning to Mimi, frazzled. "[W-what did I say? Why is he upset? Did I say something wrong?]"

Mimi's brow knitted in a sympathetic fold. "[Daisuke still hasn't forgiven Ken for not telling us he was the Digimon Kaiser. They had a… really, really bad falling out.]"

Wallace's eyes widened at that before he crossed his arms, looking thoughtful. "[I see. I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry.]"

Daisuke eyed Mimi and Wallace, picking out his name and Ken's but little else from their English conversation. He tried to keep calm, but a flaring of paranoia had him blurting words out in spite of himself. "What? What did you just tell him about me and Ken?"

"Just that you and Ken are fighting right now," Mimi said.

Daisuke felt an uncomfortable twist in the pit of his stomach. "You told him about Ken lying to us about being friends, right? How he tricked us and strung us along all that time?"

Mimi let out a long suffering sigh as she put her hands on her hips and her eyes drifted towards the sky. However, she didn't get a chance to respond before Daisuke began rambling again.

"J-just because I screwed up with Wormmon doesn't mean I wanted all that to happen to him!" he shouted. "I was just pissed off because Ken tricked all of us! He probably was never _really_ our friend in the first place with that taint and everything!"

Mimi placed a hand on Daisuke's shoulder to cut him off from ranting further. "Daisuke." She locked her gaze on his, speaking calmly. "Stop. We already know what happened. It's time to move on."

Daisuke felt his heart lurch into his throat. "But…!"

Mimi's sympathetic look alone was enough to quiet him. "You don't want to stay angry at Ken and your mistakes forever, do you?"

Daisuke choked on his words. His gaze strayed to the others, realizing that they were staring at him, judging him for how petty he was in comparison to them, how childish and foolish. He couldn't handle it and turned away, clamping his mouth shut before he said anything else to diminish himself in their eyes.

V-mon watched his partner, feelings of sympathy and anger swelling up inside him. He moved over to grab Daisuke's hand, holding it supportingly, before he gave the others a hard stare. He wanted to shout at them, to protect Daisuke, but he was at a loss for what to say; it seemed like he couldn't stop failing Daisuke when he needed him most.

Daisuke looked at V-mon and tried to smile at his partner, but it was a sickly curve that failed to reach his eyes as his stomach twisted and roiled.

Taichi silently met Sora's gaze, both sharing a deep discomfort at the situation and a strong need to say something. Unfortunately, both lacked any words that were more profound than Mimi's finishing statement.

Noir stared at Daisuke for a moment before his expression grew mischievous. He lifted a paw to cover his mouth as his ears wiggled. "Ufufufu… but you knooooow… the best part of having a fight with your lover is the [ _make - up_ ]~!"

Wallace jerked at that and quickly turned to stare at his partner, his eyes wide. "N-Noir!?"

Noir's smile widened as he suggestively wiggled his brow. "Some people even start fights specifically so that they can [ _make - up_ ] afterwards~!"

Wallace nearly choked before he reached up to clamp his hands over his partner's mouth. "N-Noir, enough!"

Daisuke stared blankly at Noir for a moment, caught up in confusion on the use for 'cosmetics' in English, when he belatedly noticed one other, far more important word that was spoken in crystal clear Japanese. His cheeks lit up with red as his eyes flew open wide"'L-l- _lover_ '!?"

"I-it's nothing!" Wallace said quickly as he glanced to Daisuke. "Please forget he said anything!"

"But Waaaaallaaaace," Noir said. "It's true!"

"[W-we don't talk about such things around ladies!]" Wallace scolded.

"But Waaaallaaaaace," Noir said around his partner's hand on his mouth, flailing his arms. "They're not _ladies_ , they're _boys_!"

"Ken and I aren't l-l-l… _that_!" Daisuke shouted, charging closer to interrupt the conversation, face ablaze with heat. "We're both boys! And he's a lying jerk who _lied_ to me about liking me in the first place! And I'm not gay! I like girls! And even if I was gay, I wouldn't be l… d-dating someone who only pretended to like me and used me to get to my friends!"

"Then why are you blushing so hard if you're not thinking of kissing K-" Noir began before he yelped as Wallace yanked him down before shoving him up under his shirt. Wallace held his shirt tightly, muffling his partner.

"P-please ignore him!" Wallace said as he struggled to keep his partner covered.

"But Waaaaallllaaaaaace!" Noir whined through the shirt, which did very little to muffle the Digimon. "If he stops being all tsun-de-re, then they can get to the [ _make - up_ ] already and-"

"I'm not a tsundere, whatever that is!" Daisuke shouted, throwing his arms up into the air. "And I don't wear makeup because I'm - not - _gay_!"

Noir peeked out through the top of Wallace's shirt. "Suuuuure, you say that _now_ 'cuz you're _fighting_ buuuut-" He couldn't finish his tease as Wallace abruptly shoved his face back down.

"Noir!" Wallace struggled with his partner, though even he could see it was a fruitless endeavor. "Enough!"

"I'll say that forever!" Daisuke snapped. "I'm never, ever, ever, ever, _ever_ going to date Ken even if I ever did go gay, which I'm _not_! Besides, there's no way he or anyone else will _ever_ forgive me after the shit I did to him and Wormmon!"

Those were not the words Daisuke intended to say. He was supposed to reiterate how Ken had tricked them all, how even being tainted could not erase such a betrayal of trust or the feeling that all of the kindness and support of their friendship had been a mask to hide a heart that laughed at his gullibility and stupidity. Those painfully true words were a blow to his stomach that stole his breath away and left him reeling back one step, then another.

Everyone was looking at him. They knew that was the truth. They knew it all along, but were patient with an idiot who couldn't figure it out until he stumbled into it, like the true heroes they were. They knew that he was the one who was wrong, but they were too noble, too truly heroic to reject him with the absolute disdain a petty, selfish, violent, unforgiving worm like him deserved.

Daisuke couldn't stand their silent judgement with his admission of guilt still ringing in his ears. All it took for one of them to start speaking - his idol Taichi who had already put him in his place once before when he couldn't let go of his hatred for his sister - and he snapped. His body moved on its own, snatching up V-mon in one arm as the other raised his Digivice and called forth the Digital Gate.

The landing in the real world was rough, as none of the Chosen observing in front of the computer had time to get away before Daisuke and Chibimon crash landed onto them. He babbled out apologies, but refused to look at anyone as he scrambled to his feet with his partner clutched tightly to his chest and fled the apartment.

* * *

The room was dark, though not for lack of lighting. While there were numerous lights running along the ceiling like a hospital room, it was as if the light they gave off was being sucked away in to a black vortex, never quite able to fully escape. The source of said black hole was a massive tube hooked in to the wall, filled with a black liquid. It defied all light, save for a tiny bit of pink that occasionally flickered through, as it swirled about in the tube like molasses.

And within that tube, floating suspended with various wires connected to it, was a large egg that was only visible from the outside when caressed by the thin streams of glowing pink. While there appeared to be splotches of white with pink hearts, the vast majority of it was stained a sickly gray color that distorted the pattern completely.

The Digimon Kaiser regarded the egg in those brief glimpses of light, his mouth set in a distasteful twist. A huff of irritated air escaped through his teeth before he turned to the console attached to the tube. The crests for Darkness and Kindness glowed within their secured settings in the metal housing, safely locked behind unbreakable glass. The data that ran across the screen flashed promising numbers that showed everything was working exactly as he intended.

But it was still not enough to purge the Dark Ocean's taint from Wormmon.

Dracomon sat on the floor, watching the Digimon Kaiser. After a moment, he tilted his head. "It has only just started, it's far too soon to be discouraged. The corruption is deep and will need time, but the first step has been taken."

The Digimon Kaiser let out an angry grunt before his fingers flew across the keys. "It's not good enough. If he hatches before the corruption is purified…"

"He won't," Dracomon said with utter conviction. "You won't let him. Not until you're ready for it."

The Digimon Kaiser paused, hands hovering above the console, before he finally sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, displacing his goggles momentarily. "I never should've let this happen."

Although he spoke quietly, barely a whisper, Dracomon heard every word the Digimon Kaiser spoke.

Dracomon stared at his partner, his expression unwavering as he stood up. "That was not your fault, there was nothing you could have done." With slow, purposeful steps he made his way to the child's side with an unwavering gaze. "But things are different now - you're _free_. Nothing and no one can stop you."

"Right," the Digimon Kaiser muttered, his hand curling into a shaking fist. "The Dark Ocean won't win again. Not ever again."

"You are going to fix him, and this world," Dracomon said, with a small nod of his head. "You will purify Wormmon. There is nothing you can't do."

"That's right," the Digimon Kaiser said as he straightened his back, eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. "I'll fix this broken world even if I have to rewrite every line of its code to do it."

* * *

Baihumon's heavy footsteps echoed through the enormous throne room, the gaudy golden furniture reflecting his features back at him as he passed. He paid his surroundings no mind, heading deep into the sacred room below the Temple of Miracles, where his master had ruled for millennia.

Now, all that remained were cobwebs and memories.

"It has been some time since I last visited this place," Baihumon murmured as he came to a stop before the mighty throne, staring at the empty seat.

"Indeed," a voice came from behind the tiger Digimon, prompting him to pause and glance over his shoulder as Zhuqiaomon appeared within the doorway. "It's been far too long since you've done your duty, the duty Huanglongmon created us for and died for."

Baihumon narrowed his eyes as he met the fiery sparrow's gaze, then slowly turned to face him. "I've done - and continue to do - my duty, just not in the way that you would wish. There is a difference."

Zhuqiaomon lashed out at his sides with his great wings, casting fires in all directions around him. "You've been hiding away in your fortress since the battle, _that_ battle! You abandoned this world and your duty to that insane human child, and you have the nerve to claim you did anything to stop it?!"

"I have been doing what I must," Baihumon replied, calm in the face of the other Holy Beast's fiery rage. "In order to preserve what's left of our dignity, our _honor_ , since you three discarded it. Don't try to claim that the grudges _we_ created are a threat to the Digital World itself. They are a _personal vendetta_ , and nothing more."

"Which is why you hid away like the coward you are!" Zhuqiaomon snarled. "You feared for your life and refused to participate in your duty and bound our hands when dealing with that menace by abstaining from the vote!"

"I did not _abstain_! I voted _no_!" Baihumon roared, his voice booming through the room and causing the very ground beneath them to quake. "You attempt to cast blame, but you cannot deny the truth!" He stepped forward, causing Zhuqiaomon to bristle his flaming feathers. "I am but one of four. You could have overruled me - just like then! So why did you not?" He lowered his head, his tail lashing behind him. "Because Xuanwumon cowered away in fear, while Qinglongmon wallowed in regret. You could not get them to vote a second time." Baihumon's eyes blazed as he met Zhuqiaomon's glare with his own. "I, on the other hand, would vote a thousand times. I feel no shame for _my_ vote."

"Shame is meaningless in the face of duty!" Zhuqiaomon hissed, glowing with flame. "If you had come from your hole, Xuanwumon would have come and so would Qinglongmon. We could've stopped the Digimon Kaiser before they were killed! Their deaths are on your head because you refused to vote to end a tyrant's murderous reign!"

"Their deaths are their own fault," Baihumon said, with a low growl. "If anything, they died a far more noble death than they had any right to. In the end, it taught them a valuable lesson - there are consequences to every vote, and we don't get to decide whether or not we will suffer them."

"Enough with your sanctimonious drivel!" Zhuqiaomon roared as he flared his fiery wings again. "We are bound to do the will of Huanglongmon, an-"

" _Huanglongmon is dead_ ," Baihumon cut off the sparrow with a snarl that echoed through the room like the tolling of a bell. His ears canted back, the tiger Digimon met Zhuqiaomon's stunned stare with a glare as cold as ice. "He no longer _has_ a will."

Zhuqiaomon's outrage was palpable, hanging in the air as thick as smog. A shudder ran through his massive form, quaking his flames like a breeze fanning a forest fire. "How dare you." His voice was quiet, barely louder than the sizzle of the sparks that fell from his quaking body when they struck the stone floor. "Have you fallen so low as to forget the very purpose of your existence?"

"I could ask you the same," Baihumon said, his voice rumbling like thunder.

Zhuqiaomon and Baihumon glared at each other, the tension so thick that there was a very real possibility that a lesser Digimon would have suffocated under its weight. It was only after several moments of neither backing down that Zhuqiaomon finally broke the silence with a snort.

"I did not come here for this," Zhuqiaomon said.

"Neither did I," Baihumon retorted. "You said you had something of _importance_ , and yet all I've heard is the same nonsense you have been spouting since the beginning."

Zhuqiaomon opened his beak, fury in his many eyes, before he paused, thinking better of unleashing yet another tirade. He only spoke in measured words once he had composed himself. "I called you for your assistance in an important matter."

"I vote no," Baihumon said, swiftly.

"It is not a vote!" Zhuqiaomon snapped, his feathers ruffled. He paused before he took a moment to school his features, attempting to recover himself. "It involves… the Chosen Children."

Baihumon narrowed his eyes a fraction. "Does it now."

Zhuqiaomon thrust one of his right wings outward and Baihumon followed the gesture with his eyes to a doorway. There standing at the edge of the firebird's flickering light was a Child Digimon.

The Digimon was small, purple with gold markings along his shoulders and a single horn on the back of his head, and the decorative metal diamond on his brow. He peeked past the door frame with uneasy golden eyes, his arms pulled close to his twin red-striped chest, the wing-like fins attached to them formed a fleshy barrier - for what little it was worth.

Upon seeing Baihumon's stare, the Digimon squeaked and quickly scrambled into view before bowing deeply. "I-it is an honor, Lord Baihumon! I-I-I am Monodramon!"

Baihumon regarded the new Digimon with suspicion for a moment that felt like an eternity to Monodramon before he finally returned his attention to Zhuqiaomon. "What are you after?"

Zhuqiaomon said as he narrowed his eyes. "We need to discuss Ryo Akiyama."


	4. Chapter 4

Daisuke didn't go to school the next day. He left home early, skipping breakfast and running out the house before anyone else woke up. Before, this would have been to avoid Jun, but since Ken utterly destroyed her reputation, she was too busy picking up the pieces of her life at a new school to focus on her little brother. Ironically, it was his parents who he didn't want to talk to. Before, they dismissed him, overlooking his struggle under the thumb of a narcissistic sibling who abused him and manipulated them at every turn. After Ken ruined Jun's life, it was a wakeup call for Daisuke's parents and they took a more vested interest in their children's lives.

It had been great. For once, Daisuke felt home was someplace safe and warm. He got to cook with his mother Junko every day, and she actually listened and believed him when he talked about his interests. His father, Daichi, approached him to build model kits, and although Daisuke wasn't terribly interested in putting together little bits of plastic and waiting for glue to dry, he was thrilled that his father stopped treating him like an idiot who would ruin everything.

Unfortunately, it was that increased attention Daisuke couldn't handle now. After all those times of going to his parents with his problems, only to be dismissed or outright disbelieved, when his parents believed the very worst of him… There was no way he could prove them right; to give them unquestionable proof that he truly was a despicable person.

Daisuke ruined everything.

The sun was beginning to set before Daisuke finally started to make his way home, carrying his duffle bag with Chibimon halfheartedly over his shoulder. After going to everywhere he could think of - everywhere except places he spent time with Ken - he knew that he couldn't stay out forever. Although he doubted the school would call to report just one day's absence, his parents were sure to notice something was amiss if he came home after dark. The irony was not lost on him - for once, he was actually guilty of what his school had always accused him of. It was just one more thing to bring him down, making his footsteps heavy as he reluctantly made his way back to his apartment complex.

Inside Daisuke's duffle bag, Chibimon was in charge of Daisuke's DT2. And by 'in charge', it meant he was responding with extreme hostility to any email sent Daisuke's way. The little dragon Digimon was beyond furious - at Ken, at their friends, at himself for being helpless to help Daisuke - and yet all he could do as fume impotently. During their day out, Daisuke had made attempts at having fun with him, but he could see just how paper thin that smile on his partner's face was and it made him angry at the world all the more for making Daisuke suffer.

Every single one of Daisuke's so-called "friends" sent an email to him - except for Ken of course - and Chibimon answered them all, handling Hikari's message with particular aggression. She only _now_ decided to reach out to him after giving Daisuke the silent treatment for so long? How dare she! Chibimon didn't even bother reading what she said before sending a response, making sure that she, like everyone else, knew that _he_ was the one lashing out stern words rather than Daisuke. Let them fight with him. He welcomed it. Fighting for Daisuke's sake was - literally - his reason for existing.

And it's what he would do to the very end, no matter what.

Daisuke, oblivious to the battle his Digimon was fighting for him, trudged onward, his eyes cast low. It was less watching where he was walking, and more not having the energy - or the right - to keep his head up. It was for that reason that he didn't see what was waiting for him, until a familiar voice spoke up.

"I was wondering when you'd be getting back."

Daisuke gave a start and stopped, looking up to see someone he certainly hadn't wanted to see - the senpai he had disappointed so often. Taichi stood against the wall near the stairwell, his arms crossed. Agumon was with him, hiding under the stairwell wearing a heavy coat that did the best that it could to hide his features.

"It's kind of cold out here, y'know?" Taichi said, with a lopsided smile.

Chibimon burst his head out of the duffle bag, outrage clear on his face as he bared his teeth. "I _told_ you to leave Daisuke _alone_! You hurt him _enough_!"

At first, Daisuke froze, gawking at Taichi and Agumon with wide eyes. Without thinking, he whipped around, but found himself unable to flee when his senpai seized him by the hood of his jacket.

"Let's talk," Taichi said casually as he began to walk, dragging Daisuke along with him.

Daisuke tried to formulate an excuse, but all that came out was a rattling of nonsense that ended in a squeak.

"No!" Chibimon lunged out to smack at Taichi's arm, only for Agumon to get in the way, taking the hit for him. It did very little against the much bigger Digimon, who met Chibimon's furious glare with a calm stare.

"I think we should let Daisuke and Taichi talk," Agumon said.

"And I think you should mind your own business!" Chibimon snarled, ears canted back and tail lashing. "If you want to fight, we'll fight!"

"Right, right," Agumon said, rather dismissively, as he reached out to snatch the baby Digimon from Daisuke's duffle bag, who squirmed and kicked violently in his claws. "Let's go over here, out of the way."

"Hey! Stop!" Chibimon shouted as he thrashed, doing very little to get free of Agumon's grip as the more experienced Digimon carted him off. "I said _stop_!"

It didn't take long for Taichi to drag Daisuke to a park playground that went empty after sunset. By that point, both Agumon and Chibimon were well out of hearing range, the baby Digimon's complaints long faded.

With a light shove, Taichi forced Daisuke to sit down on a worn swing, rattling the chains before they creaked with the younger boy's weight. Taking the seat next to it, he rocked back onto his heels. "So. You want to talk about what's bothering you?"

Words failed Daisuke. He couldn't even look Taichi in the eye as he gripped the chains holding the swing in his faintly trembling hands. This was it. There was no escape now from his senpai's judgement.

After a prolonged moment of silence, Taichi let out a sigh. "Okay, I'll go first." Digging his toes into the ground he pushed himself back, making the swing creak as he swayed back and forth. "You know what's really bugging me right now? How much of a jackass I was to you. I mean, big time, like the biggest butthole to ever fart out a huge load of stupid."

The description knocked Daisuke for a loop, and he jerked around to outright gawk at Taichi. "Wha…? What're you talking about, Senpai?"

Taichi continued to swing, his expression nonchalant. "Back when you first told Chibimon what a jerk your sister is. You weren't even talking to me, but, like an idiot, I just jumped right on in to chew you out when I had no right to open my mouth and spew crap about something I didn't know anything about like I was an expert."

The memory twisted inside Daisuke's chest, still painful even after Taichi and Yamato had apologized after learning the truth about Jun. Worse still was the notion that Taichi was saying such disparaging remarks. It reminded him of how he blamed himself sometimes for how easily Jun manipulated him. "It… it's not your fault, senpai. You didn't know-"

"Exactly." Taichi pointed at Daisuke, the soles of his shoes skidding in the dirt to slow his momentum to a halt. "I _didn't_ know, but I still acted like I knew everything even though I'm supposed to be your senpai and watch out for you. I treated you like dirt even though you've been my friend for a whole lot longer than I even knew that bi… _jerk_ existed, just because I thought I knew better than you. I was an asshole, and you didn't deserve that. I'm sorry."

"Y-you…," Daisuke stammered, growing flustered after all the self-flagellating he did that day. "You already apologized to me before, senpai. You… you don't have to do it again. Not after I…"

Taichi waited, but after a full minute of awkward silence ticked by, he knew Daisuke needed a little more gentle prodding. "I know, but that doesn't mean I don't sometimes still feel like a jerk for what I did. Especially the times when I see you struggling with something, but you don't know who to talk to without getting told off for it. If I never blew up at you, then maybe you wouldn't think you can't talk to any of us when something's bothering you."

"That's not…" Daisuke faltered, turning away from Taichi to stare down at his shoes, shoulders hunching. "I'm not… I'm not trying to make you feel bad, senpai."

"That's not what I'm getting at," Taichi said, brow furrowing. He paused for a moment to consider his next words with care. "I'm not here to feel bad. I'm here because _you're_ feeling bad. Because you're my friend. And when something goes bad in your life I wanna be there to listen and do what I can to help, not a jerk who yells and makes the bad things worse. I'd rather get buried in Digimon poop every day for a month straight than do something as crappy as that again."

Daisuke let out a breath that tried to be a laugh but could only aspire to be a wheeze. "Yuck. Don't remind me."

Taichi heard the faintest hint of that laughter and smiled in triumph. "Hey, I don't wanna think about it either. That fight was _disgusting_."

"No kidding," Daisuke muttered before sticking out his tongue with a grimace.

Taichi rocked back onto his heels before leaning over to pat Daisuke's shoulder. "So, what I'm trying to say is you can tell me what's _really_ on your mind when it comes to Ken and what happened. I promise I won't flip out on you again."

Daisuke could only hold Taichi's gaze for a moment before guilt twisted in his guts, forcing him to stare down at the dirt divot beneath his feet. "I…" He faltered, quiet for a while before trying again. "What's there to talk about? Ken used me to get to you and Hikari-chan and everyone else…" The guilt burned inside him until it grew into nausea. "Then I made everything worse, like usual."

"Come on," Taichi said lightly. "You've got a lot more victories than losses with this 'Chosen' stuff, ya know?"

Daisuke shook his head. "No, I mean… That's how Jun always got to me. She'd do something terrible to piss me off, and I'd just… snap." He sucked in a breath, his muscles tensing. "Then she could use it to make _me_ look like the bad guy all along. It's how I got kicked outta schools." When he couldn't easily pull his knees closer to his body he simply folded over into them, his voice dropping low. "'Cept Jun never did that crap to me because of mind control, so I really _am_ the bad guy this time… and I just can't _stop_ either… I'm still so… so _angry_!"

Taichi rubbed Daisuke's shoulder, brows knitting in sympathy. "Hey, you got heated up and messed up. That's all. It happens to everyone. Stuff only _stays_ messed up if you let it."

"Like driving my friends crazy 'cause I can't stop being mad at Ken even though I know Hikari's right?" Daisuke muttered. "I ruined everything with her too."

Taichi couldn't help but laugh, though he cut himself off quickly. "Come on. Hikari will forgive you as long as you show her you're really sorry like you're doing right now with me."

"That's just it!" Daisuke blurted out before slapping his hands over his face, muffling his raised voice. "I can't stop being mad! How can I really be sorry if all I can think about is how Ken played me like he was Jun after I trusted him? I really thought he liked me too, but he was just using me because some creepy voices in his head told him I'd be dumb enough to fall for it?"

Silence hung between the two boys as Taichi took the time to carefully consider his response as he rubbed Daisuke's back. "I can't help you with how you're feeling. You feel how you feel, and it's weird and confusing sometimes, believe me." He forced out a short, humorless laugh. "Stuff that happened between you and Ken could've gone better… but it also could've gone worse."

Daisuke let out a shaky breath. "I turned his partner into a monster and got him and Tailmon killed, senpai. How could it've gone worse than _that_?"

A cold shudder ran up Taichi's spine. "You… really never wanna ask that question, Daisuke. Someone up there might decide to give you an answer."

Daisuke paused at the seriousness of Taichi's hushed tone and for a moment he remembered the fate of Keiko and Ryo, which felt like a blow to his already twisted stomach.

"Bad things happen sometimes," Taichi said as he straightened up, a sober expression on his face. "It's normal to feel bad about it when it does, no matter whose fault it is, but it's never gonna get better if you stop moving forward from it."

It took a while before Daisuke could finally manage a response. "How am I supposed to do that, senpai?"

Taichi began to rock, eliciting a complaining squeak from the chains of the swing. "That depends on you. I know you want to make up with Hikari and be friends again, but what about Ken and Wormmon? After everything that happened, would you ever want to be their friend?"

In spite of everything, Daisuke failed to hold back a hollow, bitter laugh. "Yeah, right. Like Ken would ever _really_ want to be my friend… especially after what I did to him."

"What if he did?" Taichi asked, cocking his head slightly. "Let's say, just suppose he comes back and says he's sorry for what he did and wants to be friends. What would you do then?"

"He won't-"

" _What if he did_?" Taichi said quickly to cut off the protest. "What if Ken and Wormmon wanted to forgive you for what happened? Would you want to be friends if they did?"

Daisuke leaned into the chain, the cold metal biting his cheek. "He won't… why would he want to…" A hand on his shoulder stopped him and, unthinkingly, he turned his gaze to meet Taichi's.

"If Ken asked you if you could be friends for real this time," Taichi said slowly, "would you say yes? If you knew for sure this was _Ken_ who wanted to be your friend even after everything that happened and there'd be no hard feelings even if you decided never wanted to see him again, would you _want_ to be his friend?"

Daisuke couldn't hold Taichi's gaze as his eyes began to sting and his vision blurred. He looked away, fighting to hold back the emotions that spilled over onto his cheeks with little success. For reasons he couldn't understand, such a concept had been far too much for him to take. After a long pause to compose himself, he answered with a single nod, not trusting his voice not to give him away.

Taichi pretended he didn't hear the quiet sniffling, understanding quite well how a man simply couldn't let another man see him cry. Instead, he gave Daisuke's shoulder another comforting pat and squeezed it lightly as he stared upwards at the darkening sky, providing his silent support as the younger boy beside him was overcome with emotions he could no longer contain.

It was the least Taichi could do, as Daisuke's senpai.

* * *

Although Daisuke came to school the next day, he didn't talk to any of the Chosen Children except when prompted, and even then he gave evasive, monosyllabic answers. The second the bell rang to signal the end of school, he was off like a shot, leaving an annoyed Miyako to call after him in a failed attempt to remind him that he was supposed to be participating in cleaning duty that week.

"I hope he's doing okay," Takeru said as he grabbed a bucket from the storage closet, along with fresh washcloths waiting to be used. "He still won't answer my emails or calls. But I can't really force him to talk to me if he isn't ready…"

Miyako huffed quietly as she carried the erasers to the nearest window. "He could've at least helped us out after leaving it to us yesterday." Upon opening the window, she had to pause to shiver when the cold december air crept in, but soon was taking out her frustration on the erasers by beating them together outside. "We left him alone after he told us he didn't want to talk this morning, didn't we?!"

The only children assigned to cleaning duties that week were the Chosen Children. This wasn't by coincidence, as Miyako used her influence as class representative to arrange it this way so that their Digimon could come out and help when everyone had left. This allowed them to talk discreetly and get the chore done far faster than normal.

"Daisuke is dealing with some very troubling emotions," Iori said as he helped Miyako. "I see no harm in giving him a little more time to address them."

Miyako merely grumbled in response as she beat the erasers some more.

"Grrrrr!" Kyokyomon growled ferociously as he zipped across the floor as fast as his back legs could propel him, his front legs firmly holding the washcloth as he went. "Grrrrrr!"

Pafumon followed after Kyokyomon, floating directly over him. At one point, she turned to point her ears at a nearby part of the floor. "You missed a spot."

Kyokyomon immediately whipped about to attack the area in question, scrubbing it furiously. "I won't be defeated!"

Miyako blinked before she gave her partner a lopsided grin. "You could help, you know."

"I _am_ helping," Pafumon said. "I'm _supervising_."

Hikari took one of the washcloths from Takeru, but lingered nearby for a few moments more before she gathered her nerves. "Hey," she said quietly, knowing that she didn't need to whisper but feeling uncomfortable raising her voice all the same. "Did… did my brother mention anything to you or Yamato about Daisuke?"

Takeru blinked as he glanced to Hikari. "No, he hasn't. Should he have?"

A sigh escaped Hikari as her eyes slid ascance. "I guess not… It's just… Taichi went to talk to Daisuke yesterday, but he wouldn't tell me anything about how it went. All I got out of him was that it was 'man talk,' so I thought maybe if he talked about it with anyone, it'd be with Yamato."

"If he did, my brother hasn't said anything," Takeru said thoughtfully. "'Man talk', huh…"

"It's too soon to know if anything will change," YukimiBotamon said as she hopped on to a desk by Hikari. She wiggled her ears as she gave Takeru a thoughtful look, one that didn't fit her squishy face. "But at the very least, Daisuke was able to say _something_ to us today - even if it was to ask that we leave him alone."

"Did Taichi look upset or troubled at all after talking with Daisuke?" Patamon asked as he fluttered over to the bucket to take a washcloth for himself.

Hikari hesitated for a moment, thinking back to the night before. Normally, Taichi's face was an open book to anyone who saw him, especially for someone who lived with them their entire life, but after the talk with Daisuke it was too hard for her to read. "I… don't think so."

Patamon smiled brightly. "Then you shouldn't worry about it. I'm sure Daisuke just needs a little space to think things through for himself, that's all."

"I guess…," Hikari muttered as she watched Patamon land beside YukimiBotamon to hand her one end of the washcloth.

YukimiBotamon accepted the washcloth, holding it carefully with her mouth. "This would be easier with hands…" she said, muffled by the washcloth.

Patamon waited until their partners moved on to other desks to speak to YukimiBotamon in a lowered voice. "About that… It's been a while now since you hatched, and it took you a while to hatch in the first place. Is something wrong? You should've evolved back to Tailmon by now."

YukimiBotamon paused at that before she quickly shot Hikari a glance, making sure her partner wasn't within earshot. She then glanced to Patamon. "I'm avoiding taking any unnecessary energy from Hikari. She doesn't have anything to spare, so I'll have to evolve on my own for the time being."

"What!?" Patamon yelped, which drew a few eyes their way. He shot the others an embarrassed, apologetic smile for his outburst and hastened to scrub, pretending it never happened. Only when he was sure that the rest of his friends went back to their own conversations did he dare whisper again. "What's wrong with Hikari?" He chanced a glance at the girl in question who was engaged in her own whispered discussion with Takeru. "She's always had the most energy out of everyone to give!"

YukimiBotamon's ears canted back. "She hasn't had much to spare for quite some time now. Not since… _that_."

Patamon almost asked what 'that' was when the answer hit him. "You mean… since everyone got drained by the orb?"

YukimiBotamon gave a small nod, her eyes darting to Hikari to make sure the Chosen of Light couldn't overhear.

"I didn't realize…" Patamon glanced at Hikari then back to YukimiBotamon. "I mean, I know she was sick in bed for a couple weeks afterward, but I thought she recovered a long time ago."

"I don't think even Hikari realizes it," YukimiBotamon said before she narrowed her eyes. "And I prefer it to stay that way. She blames herself enough for what Millenniumon did."

Patamon sobered at the name, brow furrowing. "I remember, the orb tapped into Tenraimon's power and caused a lot of weird stuff to happen to you and Hikari. Do you think it did something else to her that's still affecting you two?"

"It clearly did _something_ ," YukimiBotamon said as she flicked an ear. "We already know that the orb gave Millenniumon a direct line to Tenraimon's power… _through_ Hikari."

Patamon nodded solemnly, understanding the YukimiBotamon's anger. "So then, that must mean-"

"I'm on my own," YukimiBotamon cut in before she gave Patamon a wink. "Don't worry. I've done it before, I'll do it again."

Patamon looked at his friend for a long time before wrapping a wing around her. "You know, you're not _completely_ alone in this. Even if I can't give you my energy, I'll still be by your side every step of the way."

YukimiBotamon's expression softened. "Thank you."

The Chosen Children and their partners continued cleaning their classroom diligently. Just as they were about to finish, a beep caught their attention - an email from their DT2. Takeru was the first to get his DT2 from out of his bag, flipping it open to see the message while the others stopped to look at him.

"It's from Koshiro," Takeru said. "He wants to meet up to go over something he found on his scanner logs from last night."

"Well," Iori said with a blink. "That could be both good or bad, depending on what it is he found."

"Did he say else?" Hikari asked, furrowing her brow.

"Nope," Takeru said as he closed his DT2. "Looks like we'll find out when we get there."

"Which means we need to finish up," Miyako said as she placed her hands on her hips. "If it's not an emergency, then there's no reason to leave this half done."

"So don't even _think_ of ditching!" Pafumon said as she hovered over Miyako's head.

Iori gave a sharp nod. "Exactly."

"Spoken like a true class rep," Takeru said with a playful smile. "Alright then, let's finish this up so we can get down to business!"

* * *

Sora tried to be discreet as she looked at her DT2 while standing along the sidelines, her bag resting on one of the benches by the tennis court. Seeing the message to meet up, she privately lamented that Koshiro hadn't sent the message sooner - it would've been easier to just skip club entirely rather than leave halfway through. At the very least, she wouldn't have gotten changed.

Ultimately, her lamentations couldn't change anything, and she knew it. She'd just have to deal with the situation as usual - which meant sending a quick message that she'd be late, along with her apologies.

Sora quietly snapped the DT2 closed before she sighed and leaned back against the chain link fence that separated the various tennis courts from each other. It was hard enough getting through club as it was, but knowing it was keeping her from places she needed to be made time drag on even more than normal.

"Honestly, it's just so much trouble," Sora murmured before she gave a weak smile. "Well, complaining isn't going to change anything. I just have to grin and bear it."

"Takenouchi!" a familiar voice heavy with bass bellowed, startling her out of her thoughts. "Get over here!"

Sora blinked as she looked over to see the coach staring at her, his expression disapproving. She paused before moving to obey, making her way across the court to where the man stood expectantly. "Yes?"

"I saw you playing with your video game," the coach growled, his stance stern as he thrust his palm in her direction. "Hand it over. Now."

Sora stared at the coach, confusion clear on her face. "Video game?"

The coach scowled harshly before pointing at the D-Terminal. "Don't give me that. I can see it right there in your hand!"

Sora glanced down at the D-Terminal before realization dawned. She had meant to put it back in her bag, but had clearly forgotten. "Oh, this isn't a video game." She hesitated as she tried to figure out what specifically to explain what it was with the least amount of _actual_ explanation. "It's a really advanced cell phone."

"Cell phone?" the coach repeated, mouth twisted with disbelief as he took a second look at the device. After a moment, he shook his head. "I don't care what it is. It's a distraction and against the rules. I've heard numerous complaints about you goofing around instead of paying attention to club, and now I've caught you in the act."

Sora frowned as she furrowed her brow in confusion, before she heard a snicker from behind her. She didn't have to look to know who it was, and it immediately answered the question of who had been 'complaining' about her - Rie and her friends. It was enough to get her hackles raised, as she was sure they were enjoying the show they had started.

The coach reached his hand out towards Sora, his palm facing upwards expectantly. "Now hand it over. You'll get it back after practice."

Rather than comply, Sora pulled the DT2 back and held it against her chest. "Actually, something has come up, so I'll have to leave early today."

The remark only served to make the coach more irritated. "Again?! Look, Takenouchi, you can't keep blowing off practices like this. And now you're not even paying attention when you're here! I'm not going to stand for this kind of behavior anymore, do you hear me?"

Sora blinked at that. The snickering grew louder but the Chosen of Love did her best to ignore them. "I can't help it, I have responsibilities outside of this club that I-"

"You've got responsibilities to this club!" the coach snapped, pointing at the court beneath their feet. "I don't care about excuses. If you can't give this club the 110% of your time it deserves, then you're letting the whole team down! What do you think your teammates are thinking about you right now when you just blow them off to play video games and goof off?"

As the coach made a sweeping gesture, Sora unthinkingly followed the path of his hand. No one was practicing anymore, every girl in the club and even some other students milling outside the fence were staring at her, watching the coach read her the riot act. Rie caught her attention over any other gawker, as the other girl whispered to their teammates around her to elicit a round of giggles. She could see that Rie was relishing every moment.

Sora stood in silence for several moments as she slowly processed what was happening, and what the coach had just said to her. All eyes turned to her, some gleefully so, as they waited for her to react. However, instead of tears or apologies in face of such public shaming, the Chosen of Love just felt _baffled_.

While she understood the words he spoke, they seemed so outrageous that she couldn't wrap her head around them. According to her coach, she was expected to dedicate everything to the club and it alone - even at the expense of everything else. Her school, her family, her friends, and even her duties as a Chosen Child were all supposed to be secondary to the tennis club.

Part of her pointed out that the coach was correct - that the club was supposed to be very important, not only to her, but to her teammates. It wasn't just that it would look good on her college application, it was simply _expected_ of her. She, as a student, was expected to dedicate herself to her education and her club or she was a failure at both.

But that's what she had been doing, wasn't it? Even now, she was holding up an important meeting with her friends because of a _tennis club_. They were waiting on her, the Digital World was waiting on her, while she did her best to meet her obligations. And yet, was she really? The coach was right, she was skipping the club more and more. But it wasn't just to sneak off or 'play games;' she was trying to help people. The Digital World depended on her, as did her friends.

Yet, didn't the club depend on her as well? The coach was right, she wasn't exactly dependable the past few months as she would disappear suddenly whenever anything came up. She was hardly the only Chosen Child - there were twelve of them now, including Wallace. Surely they could do without her while she met her other obligations?

The stray thought immediately sparked a surge of anger - of _outrage_ \- as her first instinct was to reject it resoundingly. The idea was ridiculous - absurd, even. If there was anything she should be dedicating her attention to, it was her duties as a Chosen Child. The very suggestion that she should be more concerned about hitting balls around a tennis court with _these people_ than helping her _friends_ protect the Digital World felt so completely insane that it was laughable to even suggest it. The very idea felt like a fundamental betrayal, one that would have elicited a sharp retort from her if anyone else had said it aloud.

Many things were expected of Sora - to be a good student, to do well in clubs, to be a dutiful daughter. In all of these things, she had complied, doing her best to meet those standards and try to be happy in the process. Yet, time and again these obligations were keeping her from doing what she needed to do. While she was standing there being humiliated due to the actions of a jealous little girl holding onto a years old grudge, her friends were waiting for her.

She was _always_ making them wait, for some _club_ that, in the end, meant absolutely nothing.

Clearly, the coach and the students watching the show of her 'public humiliation' had nothing important to do - or at the least, had no scope of what was _actually important_. None of them had people - _worlds_ \- depending on them. None of them had to brave a foreign land with the real possibility of death haunting them around every corner. None of them had to fight to survive, to protect others that couldn't protect themselves. The worst they ever had to deal with were _bad test results_ or what school they'd be getting in to - _neither_ of which would result in someone's _death_. For goodness sake, one of their own had _died_ because of their duties as a Chosen Child! There was no doubt in Sora's mind that Keiko would rather be standing there listening to some middle aged man rant about 'responsibility' in front of a bunch of giggling girls instead of being _dead_ and trapped in what was the digital equivalent of _Hell_!

Realistically, Sora knew she shouldn't begrudge her classmates or her coach for being so sheltered. However, she also couldn't accept their belief that the club was more important than _anything else_. The concept was so narrow, so completely shortsighted that she honestly felt like she was surrounded by kindergarteners rather than an adult and classmates her own age. She was surrounded by ignorant, self-centered people who couldn't comprehend that their tiny bubble in no way constitute the entire world and that there was a far bigger picture than any one of them could even imagine. If anything, she was 'goofing around' by wasting her time _here_ …

In that moment, Sora felt things click in to place. It was like a puzzle had all its missing pieces found again, and the full picture was right in front of her. Any confusion within her was gone in an instant, leaving her with absolute clarity.

The Chosen of Love's expression deadpanned before she turned back to the coach. "They'll just have to understand that I have very important things to do in my life. And, if they can't accept that, that's entirely their problem."

Such an assertion caught the coach off guard, but a moment later he recovered with an even sterner scowl. "Don't you talk back to me like that, missy! If you can't commit to your team and give them the respect they deserve, then you can take your video games and bad attitude and leave and don't come back!"

Sora's expression didn't change. Instead, she held the coach's gaze unwaveringly, silent for several moments. The murmuring around her continued as her classmates watched intently - clearly still expecting _something_. Then, like a light being flicked, a bright smile appeared on the Chosen of Love's face. "Okay!"

Without waiting for a response, Sora turned sharply on her heels, striding away - straight towards her bag on the bench.

The coach stared flabbergasted at the young girl's back. "Hey! _Hey_! Where do you think you're going, Takenouchi?!"

Sora put the DT2 in her bag before zipping it up, then hefting the bag to place the strap over her shoulder. With it secured, she then turned to face the coach. "I'm leaving."

"You're… _what_!?" the coach repeated, as if he didn't understand the words coming out of Sora's mouth.

"I'm leaving, and I won't be coming back," Sora said as her expression grew impassive. "I could say many things to you right now. I could argue with you, tell you all the ways that you're wrong. I could explain that I have very valid reasons for what I'm doing, and why. But in the end… I won't. Because, quite frankly, it's none of your business. You're not worth my time, and perhaps you never were. I've slowly come to realize that, after all you've done to inconvenience me and keep me from doing things that actually mattered - things that are far more important than something that will be nothing more than a single line on a college application." The Chosen of Love paused before she smiled crookedly. "This is nothing more than a last straw among many straws, and I guess it's been a long time coming."

While Sora enjoyed the stunned look on not only the coach's but Rie's face as well, she didn't allow her to indulge in it too much. She wasn't about to give them that level of power over her. Not now, and never again.

Sora gave a small, curt bow. "Thank you for the lessons, even if it's not exactly what you wanted to teach me." She then straightened up. "Now, excuse me." With another snap of her heels, the Chosen of Love turned and headed towards the entrance to the school locker rooms with an air of confidence.

"Takenouchi! You come back here right this instant!" the couch snapped, though his voice grew more shrill as it didn't have the desired effect, with Sora continuing to walk away. "Takenouchi!"

Sora hesitated only long enough to grab the door handles, turning to open them wide. She stood in the doorway as she met the coach's stare with a gaze of her own, then purposely yanked the door shut between them.

* * *

The meeting of the Chosen was abuzz that afternoon in Koshiro's apartment, the children and Digimon still caught up in the excited knowledge that they discovered the identity of the final Chosen Child. Wallace fairly basked in the glow, despite his less than stellar first outing, but every yawn that escaped him despite his attempts to stifle his fatigue dented his ego a little with embarrassment each time he let one slip. Staying up late multiple times in a row had wore him down to the bone. By contrast, Noire seemed to drink from an endless well of energy until he no longer knew what sleep was. Wallace envied the Black Terriermon his stamina.

During the conversation, which was something too rapid for his rough Japanese to keep up with, he noticed how surprisingly animated Mimi and Palmon were, despite it being the wee hours of the morning back home in America. She went to school just like him, yet she was still as bright here as she was then. He waited for a lull in the conversation to open up an opportunity for him to slide in next to his friend and whisper the question pressing on his mind.

"[How are you still awake, Mimi?]" Wallace asked, fighting hard against his mouth's rogue attempts to form the shape of yet another yawn.

Mimi blinked, startled by the unexpected question, then let out a giggle before winking at the tired boy. "[Palmon and I sleep twice a day - half after school, and half after Chosen duties. It really helps. You should try it too!]"

"[I think I'll have to,]" Wallace said with a smile that was eaten by a yawn, which he inwardly cursed. If only he could inherit his father's acting abilities through genetics like he did with his blond hair then he could at least _pretend_ that he wasn't ready to fall over at any moment.

Takeru watched the tired-looking Wallace and energetic Mimi talk before he glanced around the room, taking a visual headcount. "It looks like the only one not here yet is Sora."

"She was in the middle of club, so it'll probably be a bit before she shows," Yamato said. "Should we just go ahead or wait for-"

At that moment, the front door opened to reveal Sora, still in her tennis garb. She held her bag awkwardly as Piyomon hopped around her, pleased as punch for reasons currently unknown to the Chosen Children.

"S-sorry, I'm here now!" Sora said, hurriedly. "I'm just going to the bathroom to change, so go on ahead without me!" The Chosen of Love didn't wait for a response as she carried her bag to the bathroom, though she unceremoniously dropped her racket by the bathroom door before she closed it behind her.

Yamato blinked as he stared after the Chosen of Love. "That was… fast."

"Yeah," Taichi said, the corner of his mouth twisting downward. "Usually club lasts an hour, and Sora always gets a shower and changes in the gym right after."

Yamato narrowed his eyes. "Something must have happened."

"It did!" Piyomon chirped happily. "Sora was fan - ta -stic~!" She hopped over to her friends, fluttering her wings about. "See, the coach tried to take away the DT2 from Sora, and Sora was all, 'I'm not giving it to you.' While the coach was all, 'Give me the thing or you're out of the club.'"

Agumon stared at Piyomon with wide eyes. "What happened?"

Piyomon beamed, her beak curving in a brilliant smile that was impossible for a flesh and blood avian to do. "Sora gave the coach a _look_ \- and Rie too since Rie was laughing at her again. I think Rie might've told the coach lies about Sora again. Anyway!" She threw her wings up to dismiss the tangent. "Sora was all, 'I'm done with this club. I have more important things to do.' And she left without looking back even once!"

Taichi blinked repeatedly at Piyomon. "Whoa. Really?" He lowered his voice into a quiet mutter. "Figures the one time I don't wait for her is when something happens."

Piyomon giggled, starry-eyed, as she did an impromptu dance in front of the others, her excitement overflowing. "Sora was a - ma -zing~! She doesn't let _anyone_ bully her, not even adults!"

It was at that moment that Sora left the bathroom, having quickly changed to her regular clothes. A shower really wasn't necessary, given she hadn't actually done any exercise yet. Shoving her uniform roughly into her bag, she paused when she noticed all eyes on her as Piyomon twirled about happily. "Huh?"

"Sora, Sora, Sora~!" Piyomon practically sang as she hopped over to her Chosen Child. "I was just telling everyone how cool you were when you told that bully coach he can't push you around~!"

Sora's eyes widened before her cheeks tinted red. "O-oh, that… it really wasn't anything special."

"Yes it was!" Piyomon responded with a sunny grin. "Because _you're_ special, then what you do is always special."

Taichi walked to Sora's side, enticed by her flustered appearance to slide an arm around her, even though the action added a rosy dusting to his own cheeks. "I've gotta side with Piyomon on this one, Sora. Makes me wish I didn't go on ahead and miss out on seeing you kick ass."

Sora's blush deepened as she glanced at Taichi before looking away. "I-it really wasn't… I just said what I was feeling, that's all."

"It's still cool," Taichi said wryly.

Sora's blush spread to her ears as her heart skipped a beat. "Ah…"

"Well, that solves that," Yamato said with a grin. While he wanted to press more on what Piyomon had meant about Rie, he opted to let Sora enjoy the moment - even if she didn't want to admit that she was.

"Since we're on the topic of good news, I've got some too," Koshiro said with a smile from his seat in front of his open laptop. "My scans detected Miracles early this morning. There's no mistaking it on the logs."

"What?!" Jou cried out as he stood up. "Seriously!? Where?"

"It first appeared in the same area as the Altar of Pride and Passion," Koshiro said as he brought up the map, and with it a time-lapse of the crest of Miracles pulsating over the stated area. "It then moved to the Temple of Miracles for several hours before returning back to the altars." The crest moved about the world as the Chosen of Knowledge spoke, highlighting the trek for the others.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Taichi asked rhetorically, excitement bubbling up. "Let's go and-"

"I would advise against it," Iori cut in, his voice firm. He glanced towards Miyako, his expression meaningful. "Not while it's… where it is."

Miyako pursed her lips around the sour memory. "Yeah, that's Zhuqiaomon's place. Ken seemed pretty sure if Zhuqiaomon caught me, I'd be dead."

"Wasn't that just because of his own issues with the Holy Beasts?" Yamato asked as he quirked an eyebrow. "I mean, he _was_ trying to kill _them_."

Miyako folded her arms and furrowed her brow as she considered the question. "Ken might've been paranoid about Holy Beasts, yeah, we can't rule that out. But given the fact that he knew we were going to see Baihumon all the time and didn't say a word except to avoid going himself, I think there's too big a chance that Zhuqiaomon's opinion of us might be a little… murdery."

"That's… a really good point," Takeru said, thoughtfully. "Ken didn't seem too concerned about Baihumon, at least not like he was with Zhuqiaomon. I wonder why?"

"Something must've happened between Ken and the other three Holy Beasts," Hikari said softly. "He mentioned there was a war going on… one he didn't start but was finishing by… taking them out."

Taichi let out an uncomfortable hum at the back of his throat. "It must be pretty big, if he's still gunning for them after everything that's happened."

Daisuke's face twisted, as if he had a foul taste in his mouth. There was a lot he wanted to say, but he knew far better to voice it - especially after what happened the other day. Instead, he kept his mouth firmly shut, so tightly that his teeth ached.

"So, what should we do then?" Sora asked as she looked at the others.

"We could ask Jijimon and Babamon," Jou said as he raised his pointer finger up. "They're at the temple, so they must have seen _something_!"

"I believe that would be the safest course of action," Iori said with a nod.

"We should keep our expectations in check," YukimiBotamon said as she glanced about the room. "It's okay to be hopeful, but don't be unrealistic."

"It could be Ryo, but it could be someone else entirely." Patamon said as he furrowed his brow.

"Right, so everyone be careful," Yamato said as he pulled out his digivice. "And let's see if Jijimon and Babamon are in the mood to be more open with us, for once."

With a flash of a digivice to open a Digital Gate, the assembled Chosen Children quickly ventured to the Digital World. As the gate whisked them along, the real world apartment was replaced with the colorful decadence of the temple of the DigiGods, with the massive mural depicting their all fifteen crests surrounding them on the stone floor.

Wallace gazed at their surroundings in wonder, his eyes wide as he took in every detail. From his shoulder, Noir did much the same, staring down at the intricate symbols interwoven among the lines that surrounded the colorful marks of the crests.

Standing in front of the altar of Miracles was none other than Jijimon and Babamon, who looked at the Chosen Children calmly. Neither showed any sign of surprise as they watched the children arrive in their midsts.

"'Bout time you all showed up!" Jijimon said with a sniff. "Gettin' kind of lazy, arentcha? Made me lose my bet to this old bat."

"Hush, you," Babamon said as she tapped her broom against the floor. "You need to learn patience and give these children a chance to learn and do things at their own pace."

"You… were expecting us?" Takeru asked, with a blink.

"'Course we were!" Jijimon said. "After all the other visitors we've been having, we figured it was only a matter of time before _you_ came sniffin' about as well."

"What other visitors?" Hikari asked, suddenly at attention.

Babamon sighed softly, her shoulders sagging just a little. "No one you're looking for, dear, sorry."

Hikari wilted at the news, going silent.

"It ain't gonna be that easy," Jijimon said with a shake of his head. "It never is." He paused before he gave another sniff as he glanced at Hikari. "But that's just business as usual, right? So don't let it discourage ya."

"We won't," YukimiBotamon said, with great conviction, before she glanced up at Hikari. "We'll keep going forward."

Hikari straightened up a bit as she met her partner's gaze and nodded. She wouldn't give up on Ken so easily.

Wallace glanced around the cathedral in awe, taking in the sights. However, he was quickly distracted from his sightseeing by suddenly finding Jijimon and Babamon up close and personal, staring at him intently.

The blonde blinked before he gave an awkward smile. Their intense scrutiny was more than a little startling, though he tried not to show it. "H-hello, nice to meet you!"

"Weeeelll," Jijimon said slowly as a beady brown eye peered out from under his bangs. "Now aren't you a hot piece of sliced cheese."

Wallace's eyebrows shot straight up as Jijimon leaned in close. "Eh?"

"Listen, you," Jijimon said as he pointed a finger at Wallace. "If you so much as _think_ of making a move on my wife..." He then gave the boy a toothy grin. "...Then you better promise it's for _keeps_ and you won't give her _back_ -"

Babamon's staff swung about with extreme vengeance, slamming her husband's face straight into the floor of the cathedral. The floor splintered as Jijimon face-planted into it, with spider web-like cracks appearing around him.

Wallace stared as Jijimon flailed a bit before prying his face out of of the floor, only for the crack to immediately fix itself the moment he was free. "I-I promise you, I would never come between a couple!"

Noir turned to flash Daisuke a mischievous smirk. "At least not in-ten-tion-al-ly~!"

Daisuke's cheek twitched and took on a light pink hue as he refused to look at Noir, instead glaring at the ground. V-mon glanced at his partner before he shot the Black Terriermon a glare for Daisuke's sake, though it only served to make Noir giggle.

Yamato watched the two before he gave a small shake of his head. He then straightened up, quickly attempting to redirect the conversation _back_ to where it belonged. "So if it wasn't who we were looking for, then who _was_ it?"

"The Holy Beasts, or at least what's left of 'em," Jijimon said. "Seems they had somethin' _real_ important to talk about."

"Like, oh I don't know," Miyako asked as she put her hands on her hips. "The Crest of Miracles, by any chance?"

Jijimon and Babamon paused and glanced at each other. They were silent for a moment before returning their attention to the children.

"That would certainly explain a few things," Babamon said, gravely.

"That indeed," Jijimon said with a nod. "It'd take about that to get that Feather-fart out and about."

"'Feather-fart'?" Taichi repeated slowly, a bemused expression on his face.

"Yep," Jijimon said, without a hint of embarrassment. "Old Feather-fart Zhuqiaomon."

"I, uh, take it you don't think highly of him," Jou said with a bead of sweat trickling down his brow.

"Not in the least!" Jijimon said, tapping the tip of his staff against the floor.

"Why is that?" Iori asked. "Is he not an important guardian of the Digital World?"

"That he is," Jijimon replied with another sniff. "Bein' one of the four responsible for all decisions in the Digital World would make him pretty damn important." He paused then cracked a toothy grin. "Well, _most_ decisions, anyway. Naturally, not everyone gives a crap what they have to say and will do their own thing… but the majority do."

"Wait, what?" Koshiro sputtered. "The Holy Beasts are responsible for _what_!?"

"Mystimon told us they were the followers of one of the gods," Miyako added before pausing a moment. "The god that died I mean, Huanglongmon."

Babamon nodded, her lips pursed in a slight frown that twisted the stitches along her mouth. "Our apologies, dears. We forget sometimes that you haven't been given the time to learn many of the intricacies of how our world works yet. Allow me to explain."

Turning, Babamon raised her broom and made a sweeping gesture in the air, drawing the children's eyes to the stained glass windows adorning the temple. "Our world, our _reality_ , was made in three parts from the programs that created our gods, each equally important." She directed her broom to the east to the glorious glass visage of the sun. "Vaccine became Light in the form of Tenraimon who in turn created _life_ with souls just as real and true as any humans."

"Viruses became Darkness," Babamon continued after another pause, gesturing to the west where the silvery moon arranged in glass shards glowed gently. "Darkness in turn brought us Death. Those three aspects in one of course have very negative connotations, and can be abused greatly, but they are vital to our world, to end the entropy that corrupts programs over time so that they might be reborn whole and new once more."

For a moment, Babamon brought her broom down, the wooden handle clunking softly against the stone floor, and she took the time to look at each Chosen, humans and Digimon alike. Although her bangs completely hid her eyes, they could feel her gaze meet each of them in turn. She lingered on Wallace and Noir in particular before she finally resumed. "Darkness and Light naturally balance each other, being two sides of a single whole. They are absolutes that change very little, unlike the third, and some argue most important, aspect of our very existence."

That was when Babamon directed her broom to the north where the stained glass depicted a world enshrouded in twilight. "Data became Miracles. Just as a miracle allowed the very data that made up the original programs to evolve into true life, Miracles represent the act of living, growing, and changing. Because of this very nature of change, the power of Miracles is far more fluid than Light or Darkness and needs far more effort to channel it than a guardian avatar speaking for its god. That's where the Holy Beasts come in. They watch the four corners of our world and take in the measure of change, judging whether it will aid in our evolution as a world or will ultimately be a threat to our very existence."

"The only problem with that is… with Huanglongmon gone, they're the ones that get to decide what is or is not a threat," Jijimon said. "Which, as you might imagine, ultimately comes down entirely to personal opinion."

"Wait, hold up," Taichi said, raising his hand for a moment on instinct, as though they were back in class. "The Dark Masters and Apocalymon were _definitely_ a threat to the existence of the Digital World and the real world, so why didn't the Holy Beasts jump in to stop them?"

Babamon let out a displeased sound at the back of her throat. "I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly the reason why they didn't directly pursue those threats themselves, or some others I've seen in my time. I do know that, aside from protecting their personal territories, they only act on a vote."

"A vote?" Mimi blinked, her eyes wide and confused.

Wallace raised his eyebrows. Although his imperfect grasp of the Japanese language left many holes in his translation of the explanation, that one word caught his attention and sparked bemusement in him. "The Holy Beasts are politicians? Are they elected into office?"

Jijimon let out an inelegant snort of laughter through his nose before slapping his knee.

Babamon gave her counterpart an annoyed stare before she sighed and turned her attention back to the children. " _They_ are not elected like politicians, but their internal process would be a good comparison to a democratic government, yes. To ensure that all major decisions that concern the Digital World are not made in haste or based on personal bias, the Holy Beasts cast a vote… majority rules."

"Wouldn't that lead to a lot of stalemates?" Miyako asked as she cocked an eyebrow. "There's only four of them, you know."

Babamon sighed again a little more heavily, shoulders slumping. "As I said, the comparison to politics is a good one."

"So what you're saying is… there's a good possibility that they didn't get involved with the Dark Masters or Apocalymon... because they couldn't pass the vote to do it," Yamato said, his expression deadpanning.

"Yep!" Jijimon chirped. "The same reason why ol' Ken-chan was able to avoid being attacked all at once and killed by the Holy Beast's vastly superior forces."

Babamon nodded, her expression pensive. "They must have been in deadlock on how to deal with him or decided to just let Ken-chan do as he pleased." She paused to sigh again softly. "Or at least, that is the only thing that makes any sort of sense to us."

Yamato snorted derisively. "So they were so busy with their _politics_ that they couldn't do anything to stop their own slaughter."

"Yep!" Jijimon said, his grin wide through his bushy hair. "If I had to wager a guess, Zhuqiaomon and Baihumon would've been voting for war, while Qinglongmon would have been against it. That leaves Xuanwumon as the tie-breaker, and he tends to avoid war - or _any_ fight - whenever possible. Which means… two against two, a stalemate."

Takeru frowned. He recalled back to their first meeting with Baihumon, and his refusal to accept their assistance. He had assumed it was simply out of pride, but Jijimon's words certainly put a new perspective to the scenario. It was one that he didn't particularly like.

Daisuke couldn't help but let out a groan. The more he heard about how the Holy Beasts worked, the more their grandeur evaporated into a cloud of stupidity. "How the heck are they supposed to get anything done if they're fighting all the time? Who the heck thought this was a good idea?"

"They did, o' course," Jijimon said cheerfully.

"To be fair," Babamon added quickly, "it was the best system they could come up with after Huanglongmon died. Originally, they were meant to represent equal opinions on matters to their god, who would then serve as ultimate judge and arbitrate what actions the Holy Beasts would take based on the arguments they presented to him. With his absence, the Holy Beasts are left to debate among themselves what course of action he would've taken."

Hikari frowned. "Why don't they just ask Tenraimon and Narakumon what they think?"

Jijimon shrugged. "Not their gods. Doubt they even respect those two enough to care one whit that they even exist at all, 'cept to worry if Narakumon is gonna go nuts and wipe 'em out."

"I would imagine it's deep down in their programming to only obey Huanglongmon and no one else," Babamon mused as she lightly stroked her chin. "It'd be much the same as asking one of you Digimon to just follow the instruction of a different Chosen Child for the rest of your life, with no chance of seeing your partner ever again."

The very idea caused every one of the Chosen Digimon to cringe, either inwardly or outwardly, and all of them instinctively turned to their respective child.

YukimiBotamon felt her skin crawl at the idea but she quickly shoved it aside. After all, it was just a hypothetical - one that would never stand, as she'd never accept it. "So they're unable to adapt. Pretty ironic, given what Miracles stands for. Still, it does explain a few things."

"So does that mean they came by to vote on something?" Sora asked, furrowing her brow.

"Probably!" Jijimon said. "They went straight to the throne room of Huanglongmon, where all votin' happens, so odds are pretty good they voted on _something_."

"Can they still vote, with the others currently… not around?" Jou asked, phrasing his words as delicately as he could.

"Yep, yep!" Jijimon replied with a nod. "If yer dead, yer excused from attending… but yer considered to be abstainin'! So it's in yer best interests to _not_ be dead, if ya wanna have a say in things."

Babamon looked weary. "Voting is required attendance for all of them, and can't happen unless they're all present, save when they declare they are abstaining from the vote. So, as you might imagine, when one of them gets stubborn about avoiding a vote, it can lead to… in fighting."

Jijimon snorted. "Puttin' it mildly there, don'tcha think? Xuanwumon hid in his fortress one time for 20 years avoidin' a vote and only counted as abstainin' when Baihumon and Zhuqiaomon came by with their armies to kick his door in and offed him for a while."

Taichi outright gawked at Jijimon. "Wait, the Holy Beasts have actually killed each other for _that_!?"

Babamon sighed as she ran her fingers across her face. "Unfortunately, for far too many Digimon in this world, death is hardly seen as more than a temporary inconvenience. Xuanwumon was revived and back to normal again in only three days. The Holy Beasts have a more _expedited_ process of revival and evolution than every other Digimon due to the way Huanglongmon made them."

"T'aint nothin' to forbid it, neither," Jijimon replied. "It's seen as just one way of… negotiation. Though obviously, it ain't that easy to actually pull off as they're each equal in power to each other."

"That's got to be why Ken screwed over the Village of Beginnings," Daisuke blurted out before flinching as he felt all eyes on him. "I-I mean…" He faltered, unable to figure out how to soften the statement, but he lacked the words.

Iori watched Daisuke for a moment before turning to the others, his expression showing no signs of judgment. "I agree. The message he left strongly supports it as well."

"Makes sense," Miyako said, vaguely gesturing to the side. "If the Holy Beasts come back in full force so fast, the only way to actually _finish_ a war with them surrendering is to cut them off from their literal life hack."

Koshiro folded his arms, his expression grim. "It's cold blooded, but it's the best strategy against an enemy that can't be killed."

"Otherwise, he'd be fighting them forever," Takeru mused as he crossed his arms. "Or until _they_ killed _him_."

"So once he started it, he had to go all out to finish it," Yamato agreed. "All or nothing."

"Unless they were willing to negotiate," Hikari said, though the suggestion came out tainted with uncertainty.

"With how little it takes for them to kill _each other_ and act like it's business as usual?" Miyako shook her head. "Messed up as it is, death seems to be like a slap on the wrist to them."

Wallace frowned as he tried to process everything he was hearing, his arms partially crossed as he tapped his left pointer finger against his chin. It was extremely hard to follow everything that was being said, but at the very least he could understand the basics. It was a bit hard to misunderstand politics and _murder_ , after all.

After a moment, he glanced up to Noir as the Digimon rested comfortably on his shoulders, the Black Terriermon's chest flopped down on the boy's head as his ears dangled downwards. The Digimon took no effort in hiding how _bored_ he was with the entire conversation.

"[I'm going to be quite honest, Noir,]" Wallace said quietly. "[Your world can be pretty terrifying.]"

"[Maaaybe, but just think!]" Noir chirped, with a bright smile. "[How much easier would everything go if all your problems could be solved by having your politicians fight to the death? Your dad's news programs would be _soooo_ much more interesting!]" He then straightened up and clenched his fists, shaking them furiously with an exaggerated scowl. "[Lower our taxes _or else_!]"

Wallace felt a beat of sweat on his brow. Visions of Digimon violently throwing cases of tea at each other rather than into the Boston Harbor filled his mind, with Noir leading the charge in a little patriot uniform. He didn't know whether to find it unsettling or hilarious. "Ahaha..."

A loud ring stopped the conversation from progressing any further, the sound echoing off the high vaulted ceiling of the temple. It sounded like a cell phone's ringtone, one very different from the one the DT2s made. The Chosen glanced at each other before turning to Wallace, whose face had gone pale.

The blonde quickly fumbled to reach into his pocket, pulling out a small cell phone. He quickly flipped it open before his already pale face turned ghostly white. A quick glance at the screen told him exactly what he needed to know. "[I-it's… my dad!]"

"[Uh ohhhh]," Noir said as he perked up. "[Looks like he noticed you're not in beeeeed! Baaad luck, baaaad luck!]"

"[I can't believe he noticed!]" Wallace hissed through his teeth. "[He's _never_ home, so why now-!?]"

"Huh, is that a cell phone?" Daisuke asked before he paused, furrowing his brow. In the past, he would've been completely blown away by such technology, especially since it looked like the new first-ever camera phone that had recently been released. But then he recalled his DT2 and all the things _it_ could do, things that cell phones could never even come _close_ to achieving.

Not only was it hard to be impressed by anything else, but it served as a constant reminder of the kind of genius Ken was - on top of being a manipulative liar. The very thought made Daisuke's stomach churn, his jaw clenching as he fought down the nausea.

Wallace hesitated a moment more before he answered the phone, knowing far better than to allow it to go unanswered. "[H-hello-]"

"[Where are you!?]" a male adult voice thundered through the small device loud enough for the other children to hear, causing Wallace to flinch back and briefly hold the phone away from his ear. "[It's 3 o'clock in the _morning_ , and you left the house!?]"

"[I-I can explain!]" Wallace stammered as he hesitantly brought the cell phone back to his head. "[You see-]"

"[You can explain - _at home_!]" Wallace's father, Michael Barton, said with great authority. "[ _Now_!]"

Wallace grimaced before he glanced at the other Chosen. "S-sorry… very sorry, I-"

"We better scram, before Wallace's dad _scram_ bles us!" Noir chirped, showing far less consideration for the severity of the situation than Wallace did.

"I will explain!" Wallace said hurriedly, his Japanese stumbling over itself in his panic. "I will explain to him!"

Without waiting for a response, the blonde whipped out his Digivice - brown with red accents - before summoning a Digital Gate right in the middle of the cathedral. Within moments, both he and Noir were gone.

The assembled Chosen stared at the now-empty space before turning their attention to each other.

"I guess I take it for granted how much easier it is when you have parents who know about Digimon," Takeru said as he glanced up at Patamon. "And who _understand_."

"You've got that right," Patamon sighed, not envying the other Digimon who had to constantly hide instead of relax in their own home.

"It helps not having to sneak around at 3 am~!" Pafumon said as she rolled about, wiggling her ears to propel her in to a barrel roll in the air above Miyako.

Mimi looked thoughtfully where Wallace had been. "I guess I'll have to talk with Wallace at school later about how we're going to handle this problem. It won't be good if he can't ever come here when everyone is awake."

"Uh… so!" Koshiro said with a slightly raised voice, at a loss for how else to proceed and deciding it safer just to change the topic to something more productive. "Getting back to the subject at hand… the Holy Beasts have the Crests of Miracles, and likely came here to vote about something."

Miyako nodded. "And I'm betting Ken or Ryo might've been part of that vote, if Miracles was here. Since asking Zhuqiaomon might be suicidal, we should probably go ask Baihumon what he knows."

"But will he tell us anything?" Takeru asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"At the very least, I can assure you that he won't _lie_ to you," Jijimon said with a shrug. "That'd go against his principles."

Babamon nodded. "Baihumon is the type of Digimon who would father face death a thousand times over than compromise his principles."

"'N' just 'bout has!" Jijimon added with a grin.

"Well, then!" Yamato said as he turned to Taichi, flashing him a grin. "How about we go knocking on Baihumon's door and see if he answers?"

Taichi grinned back. "Sounds like a plan to me."


	5. Chapter 5

The fortress of Baihumon stood like a solemn monument, imposing and inhospitable as its high walls loomed above any that dared appear before it. It was for that reason it was such a surprise when the Chosen Children appeared within them, standing in the courtyard completely uninvited. The Digimon that lived there stopped to stare at the group that emerged from a flash of light, with those on the rampants gawking in befuddlement while those on the ground retreated into the buildings.

"Uh," Takeru faltered as he glanced about their surroundings, suddenly feeling far less confident than he was a moment ago. "That's an interesting reaction."

"T-they don't appear to be all that happy to see us," Jou murmured, fidgeting anxiously as he glanced at the staring Digimon, who kept their distance to watch them with no small amount of tension.

"Yyyyeah," Gomamon said, furrowing his brow. "Maaaaybe we should've gated out front and knocked first-"

"Chosen Children," a booming voice interrupted the small water mammal Digimon, drawing their attention to Baihumon as he appeared within the doorway leading to the inner sanctum. The large tiger Digimon stared at them for several moments before he let out a low rumble in his chest. "So you've come."

Iori frowned. "Were you expecting us?"

"No, I was not," Baihumon grunted, his ears canting back as his tail flicked behind him. "But I should have. _He_ has never had any qualms with using whatever means necessary to push his agenda. It is only natural he would try to put pressure on me, as if I could ever be swayed by such nonsense." He paused before shaking his head. "He must be quite desperate to get _you_ involved, however."

"He?" Taichi repeated. "Who the heck are you talking about?"

"And get involved with _what_?" Yamato added, glancing to Taichi before turning his attention to Baihumon.

Baihumon paused and, for the first time, looked genuinely caught off-guard by the Chosen. His stoic expression was shattered as he stared down at the human children with wide eyes. "Did… Zhuqiaomon not send you to see me?"

"No," Koshiro said as he looked around at his friends' bewildered faces before turning back to Baihumon. "We just came to ask some questions."

Miyako folded her arms against her chest. "Considering we've got good reasons to believe Zhuqiaomon would kill us on sight, we don't really feel eager about dealing with him."

"Imagine that~!" Pafumon said as she fluttered about, wiggling her ears.

"Then… how did you know to come to me?" Baihumon asked, his confusion still apparent.

"We saw the Crest of Miracles show up on our radar, and followed it to the Temple of Huanglongmon," Sora said. "Then Jijimon and Babamon told us you had visited."

"We thought you might know something about it," Hikari added.

Baihumon opened his mouth to speak before he clamped it shut. The Holy Beast continued to stare at the Chosen Children in silence for several moments before he let out a heavy, defeated sigh. "I see. It would appear that you are far more clever than I gave you credit for - and I far _less_."

Koshiro looked intently at Baihumon as he stepped forward. "Do you know why the Crest of Miracles appeared at the temple, Baihumon?"

Baihumon hesitated before he gave a nod. "Yes, I do."

Yamato noted how the Holy Beast lapsed into silence without expanding on his answer. The Chosen of Friendship quirked an eyebrow before he crossed his arms. "You mind letting us in on the details?"

Baihumon didn't answer right away. As time ticked on, it seemed like he wouldn't answer at all before he finally found his voice, reluctantly. "Zhuqiaomon found the crest at the scene of the battle against Armagemon." His expression then darkened. "While we were fighting for the Digital World, it would seem. _Without_ his assistance."

"Oh," Mimi said, drooping. It wasn't the answer she was hoping for, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. "But then, why was it at the temple?"

"Zhuqiaomon asked to meet with me at the temple of our master," Baihumon said, with a low rumble. "I thought he meant to try and force another vote, but instead… he revealed the crest to me." There was a weighty period of silence that lingered until a frustrated grunt escaped him. "As well as his plans for it."

YukimiBotamon narrowed her eyes. "I see… and you thought he had sent us as part of those plans?"

Baihumon's face twisted, as if he were tasting something sour. "I am hesitant. I have many… _valid_ misgivings, and wished to consider all options rather than give an immediate answer. Your appearance at my fortress lead me to believe that he intended to use you to force my decision. But it seems it was simply coincidence - or twisted irony."

"Why would we 'force a decision'?" Takeru asked.

"Because you would ask questions, as you are now," Baihumon said. "And I would be put in a position to either compromise my integrity and lie or to outright refuse to answer, lest you make the decision for me. And given your behavior up until this point, I have no doubts that you would readily accept his proposal without _any_ consideration for the multitude risks involved - both obvious and unknown to you."

"W-wait," Jou said as he raised a hand to point at himself. "He proposed something that involved _us_?"

"I admit that, in hindsight, if he could have simply sent a messenger to you himself, he would not have approached me to do it for him," Baihumon said, his voice low. "I was careless."

Taichi scratched his head, his mounting frustration showing on his face. "Hey, could you stop being all weird and vague and just tell us what you're talking about already?"

Baihumon looked at Taichi, then the other Chosen, before returning his attention to the Chosen of Courage. He let out a low rumbling in his chest as he seemed to mull over his options, his ears still canted back. Finally, after several moments of tense silence, he gave a swift shake of his head. "Very well." He straightened up to his full impressive height, reminding the children of just how vast the difference in size between them truly was. "I need your assistance, Chosen Children… in rescuing Ryo Akiyama."

The Digimon's words had a ripple effect through the Chosen Children, who gawked at Baihumon as his words slowly filtered in, which quickly gave way to an explosion of chatter. They all spoke at one, blurting out the same questions - albeit phrased differently in their own ways - as confusion ran rampant among them.

" _What_!?"

"Ryo!?"

"Isn't he a prisoner of Zeed Millenniumon right now?!"

"Are you serious!?"

"Why would that even be a question!?" Yamato demanded as he stepped forward, gesturing to the others. "Of _course_ we'd want to-"

"It involves sending you into the pits of hell," Baihumon said, his voice sharp as it cut off Yamato. "Into the depths of the Dark Ocean, to snatch him from the claws of Zeed Millenniumon himself."

A terrible chill ran up Hikari's spine at Baihumon's words, and the memory of her last dream of the Dark World came back with frightening clarity. Animal instinct suddenly reared up, digging its icy claws into her back as it shrieked inside her head not to go; as horrible as it was to see the Dark Ocean in her dreams, she knew with absolute certainty that it would be far worse in reality to visit the realm Keiko warned her never to go.

Despite the fear clawing at her mind, she forced herself to straighten up, her body faintly quaking with tension, as she tried to keep her focus on what was important, no matter how much a primal part of her screamed for retreat. "That… that's right," Hikari said with only a minor tremble in her voice. "Narakumon told me, he banished Zeed Millenniumon to the Dark Ocean…" Her voice dropped to just above a whisper. "And Ryo too. He didn't realize Millenniumon had captured him, and…" She trailed off with a shudder, her mind instinctively recoiling from the fate of any child dragged down into the depths of the Dark Ocean. She knew what awaited in that sea of madness; her worst nightmares had shown her with all too perfect clarity.

The other Chosen Children went completely silent, alternating between staring at Baihumon and each other, especially Hikari. The Holy Beast watched the children as the smoldering fire turned to a flicker, his expression grave.

"You understand my hesitation," Baihumon said.

"He wants us… to _fight_ Zeed Millenniumon… in the Dark Ocean...?" Iori said, his voice weak. Visions of Imperialdramon, whose power was just a _shadow_ of what Zeed was capable of, flickered through his mind.

Sensing Iori's thoughts, Kyokyomon squirmed aggressively in his partner's arms. "I'll do it! I'll fight him for you, I-o-ri!"

Iori didn't respond verbally, though his tightening grip on his partner communicated his thoughts loud and clear.

"Zhuqiaomon is convinced that you would not need to," Baihumon said, slowly. "He says he has devised a program using the Crest of Miracles to both repel Zeed temporarily and lead you to Ryo." His ears canted back as his expression contorted into something ugly. "But that would mean trusting your lives to that conviction."

Sora swallowed hard, but found she couldn't alleviate the dry lump that had formed in her throat. "Is there… is there no other way?"

"I would like to think so," Baihumon said. "Zhuqiaomon does not believe there is. And if there was, he does not believe we have the time to find it. And I cannot entirely disagree with that notion."

"You… don't have the time?" Takeru asked. It then clicked in his head what Baihumon was referring to. "Because Ryo's with Zeed, right? And we don't know what Zeed is doing to him?"

Baihumon hesitated before he lifted his gaze to Takeru. "Something has happened to Narakumon."

"What?" Hikari's voice was quiet, as her chill ran to her very core.

"The Dark Ocean is running wild within the Dark World with no sign of Narakumon attempting to suppress its influence - a fact that Zhuqiaomon had the misfortune of discovering," Baihumon said. "He told me that he had already attempted to rescue Ryo, sending his Devas to the Dark World with the Crest of Miracles."

"And the fact that we're now having this conversation means that their mission didn't go well," Miyako said as she adjusted her glasses. "Am I right?"

"Their deaths were unpleasant," Baihumon said, his expression dark. "And their current fates, even moreso."

Hikari shuddered at the implications and held YukimiBotamon closer.

Sora stared at Baihumon, her face going pale. She glanced at Piyomon instinctively, whose determined expression did little to resolve her nerves. "And you want _us_ to go?"

"You are the only ones who _can_ ," Baihumon replied. "The only ones who have a chance of succeeding." He gave a shake of his head. "Not only are your powers - your _potential_ \- beyond what we are capable of… but three of you are an anathema to the Dark Ocean itself, the only ones able to hold it at bay without fear."

"Darkness," Hikari whispered before her voice raised in volume. "The only thing that can stand up to the Dark Ocean is the power of Darkness."

"Precisely," Baihumon said before his eyes flickered to Yamato, Sora, and Miyako in turn. "Without Darkness, we will never rescue Ryo."

"So, what you're saying is… you need us 'Darkness' Chosen to go to the Dark Ocean," Yamato said as he quirked an eyebrow. "Because we're the only ones it's afraid of?"

Baihumon gave a solemn nod.

Yamato closed his eyes as he clenched his fists, a slight tremor running up his spine. After a moment, he opened his eyes to stare hard at Baihumon. "You said that we don't have to _fight_ Zeed, just snatch Ryo and run… right?"

"If Zhuqiaomon is to be believed," Baihumon grunted.

The Chosen of Friendship narrowed his eyes before he straightened up. "Fine. I'll do it." He ignored the way Takeru whirled to stare at him, eyebrows shooting straight up. "If that's what it takes, if my 'Darkness' can actually help someone instead of just cause trouble for everyone… then I'll do it. I'll help save Ryo."

"We can't just leave Ryo like that," Gabumon said with a solemn nod. "Besides, we have a plan. If anything, we just have to put our faith in each other."

"So basically put our faith in our abilities to handle whatever comes at us," Miyako said as she put her hands on her hips. "And not in someone that Ken was convinced wanted us dead."

"I-I'll… I'll help," Sora said as she turned to Yamato, placing her hand over her chest. She was shaking badly at the idea, but seeing Yamato volunteer made her find her own courage as well. "We've got to save him. There's no way we can just sit this out while he's trapped in that awful place, with that awful creature."

"Don't worry, Sora~!" Piyomon chirped. "I'll protect you! We'll definitely rescue Ryo!"

"I think it goes without saying I'm in too," Miyako said with a wry smile. "I'm just itching to see what our trait-based powers can do."

"Besides," Pafumon said cheerfully, "if we _don't_ go, you're all screwed!"

"I'm going too," Hikari said, the words tumbling from her mouth before the implications behind them hit her like a sledgehammer. Despite herself, fear came crashing in with the knowledge that she was going to the place where her worst nightmares lay screaming, calling out to _her_ to consume her.

"Absolutely not," Taichi said swiftly, in a tone that refused argument.

Hikari's expression hardened, as did her voice. "I'm going."

"Didn't you hear him? They need _Darkness_ , and you're _Light_!" Taichi said as he threw his arm towards Yamato and Sora before using it to sweepingly gesture at Hikari. "If that whole rock-paper-scissors deal is right, then if Darkness is strong against the Dark Ocean, Light is the weakest. And the Dark Ocean tried for _months_ to get you while you slept! You're absolutely the one person who _shouldn't_ -"

"The Digimental of Darkness," YukimiBotamon said, her voice like steel. "I can use it to protect Hikari."

"You stay out of this!" Taichi snapped, thrusting a finger in YukimiBotamon's direction. "The whole idea is _crazy_ -"

"I greatly share Courage's misgivings," Baihumon said, his rumbling voice cutting off the protest. "But I will admit that your plan is a sound one." He ignored how Taichi turned to glare at him, focusing on Hikari and YukimiBotamon. "The Digimental of Darkness should theoretically transform your Light into Darkness. It would gain power from the Dark World, thriving in its home environment much like it would at its altar, allowing you to maintain your new form without depleting its charge. It would protect you from the Dark Ocean, in addition to allowing your partner to feed off of it - replacing the power she lost due to her sacrifice."

YukimiBotamon's eyes lit up at the prospect of evolution. "That sounds like all the more reason for us to use it."

"Besides," Hikari said, trying to keep her voice even in spite of the tremor she felt inside, "I'm the only one who knows what to expect when we go there."

"Yes," Taichi said, with no small amount of heat, "because you've had plenty of experience with it _trying to attack you in your dreams_!"

"Which was prevented, thanks to the Digimental of Darkness," YukimiBotamon retorted.

Taichi stared at YukimiBotamon for a long moment, a war of emotions playing across his face. Eventually, he slumped and released his anger in a weary sigh. "I'm not going to win this, am I?"

"No, sorry, big brother," Hikari said with a faint smile before she reached out to place a placating hand on Taichi's arm. "I promise, I'll be careful."

"It's okay, Taichi," Sora said as she went to the boy's side, reaching over to take his hand and clasp it with both of hers. "I'll be there."

Taichi gave Sora a small, but grateful smile. "Thanks, Sora…"

"That's right. We'll definitely watch over her," Yamato said as he moved to clasp Taichi's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. He turned to Takeru, offering him a smile. "So _neither_ of you should worry."

Takeru's face twisted with his complicated feelings, creating an unhappy expression on his face. "I don't recall saying _I_ wasn't going, too."

Yamato's cheek gave a slight twitch as he tried to keep his smile as he met Takeru's challenging stare with one of his own. "Well, you're not."

"I agree with Yamato," Koshiro said, rubbing his chin as he considered the situation. "Although theoretically using other Darkness-aligned Digimentals might offer protection for Takeru, Iori, Taichi and… uh, Ken…" He paused for a moment from a fleeting feeling of awkwardness before he plowed ahead. "I'm not sure it'll be as much protection as Darkness…" He paused, brow furrowing. "Although, Hikari _is_ the most vulnerable of the Light-aligned Chosen because her crest is Light itself, so maybe…"

"Exactly," Takeru said triumphantly, holding his brother's gaze. "If I evolve Patamon with Pride, Passion, Love, or even Friendship… it should work. It might not be as strong as Darkness itself, but it's still a guardian crest."

Yamato only broke the staring contest briefly to glare at Koshiro before he went back to frowning at his stubborn little brother in disapproval.

Miyako turned to Baihumon. "So, what say you, Baihumon? Will using Darkness Digimental armor be enough to bring a few more of us in?"

Baihumon let out a thoughtful hum as his gaze turned inward. "I admit, I had not considered it… but the theory is sound. At the very least, it would provide protection against its influence. I would strongly recommend that only Love, Friendship, and Passion act as vanguards for what you may face… but the Digimentals aligned with Darkness should act as literal armor against its influence, with the strongest of them - Darkness itself - shielding Light."

"Good," Taichi said, straightening up, muscles rigid. "Then I'm going too. Someone give me a Digimental."

"What about us?" Daisuke asked, stepping forward. "Is Miracles okay to go too?"

"You are neither weak nor strong to the Dark Ocean," Baihumon said. "It is not afraid of you, but it is not keenly interested in you, either."

Daisuke paused at that, a perplexed expression creasing his face. "Interested?"

"It last little interest in devouring you," Baihumon said. "And will only target you with its typical hatred for all that lives."

Hikari shuddered.

"Yeaaah, I can see that as an advantage over Light," Pafumon said. "You're not a tasty morsel to gobble, so it'll be less sniffing around like a predator."

"So it's just a regular enemy to us, then," Gomamon said, then paused. "A ravenous, deranged, hungry enemy."

Miyako let out a quiet hum as she looked over at her friends. "Well, since we've got four Darkness Digimentals free and only three of us who need to get one, one of the Miracles team could use the last one just in case."

"I'll take it!" Mimi said a little louder than she intended as her arm thrust into the air. At seeing the looks some of her friends gave her, her cheeks tinted before puffing out. "What? It's going to be scary in there, so I'll feel better if Palmon is even scarier than the Dark Ocean."

"I'll do whatever I have to in order to protect Mimi," Palmon said with a nod.

"I'm fine with that," V-mon said, crossing his arms over a chest puffed out with stubborn pride. "I can protect Daisuke without a Digimental!"

Tentomon nodded. "As long as we're cautious and stick together, I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Works for me," Gomamon said as he flashed Jou a grin, which widened as the Chosen of Honesty jerked slightly and stared sheepishly down at him. "I definitely have the advantage in the ocean, after all."

" _No!_ " Hikari all but screamed, her eyes wide and wild as the color drained from her face. "Don't even think about touching the Dark Ocean! Not even a drop! It'll take you and… and…!" The rest of her warning dissolved into a gagged series of syllables muffled by her hand clasped over her mouth as she all too clearly remembered her fate in her dreams whenever the Dark Ocean caught her.

"Hikari…" Takeru murmured as he stared at the Chosen of Light, at a loss.

"It has hands… so many hands to grab you… to pull you in and drown you," Hikari finally managed hoarsely, the words coming out in sickly bursts. "And it's… _screaming_ …!" She trailed off again, startled into silence by the light touch on her shoulder. At seeing Takeru's worried face as he drew in close to her, she managed a feeble smile that looked ready to break apart at any moment.

"I agree. Swimming in the Dark Ocean should be avoided, even by those of Darkness," Baihumon said, firmly.

Gomamon felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of his head. He had never had a silly quip belly-flop quite so badly before; it left him at a complete loss. "Noted."

"Hikari," YukimiBotamon said, softly. She suddenly found herself doubting if this was something she should be encouraging her partner to do. She understood Hikari's desire, but she also knew that what awaited them would put her partner's dreams to shame. "Are you sure you're up to doing this? I won't force you."

Hikari shook her head, trying to rally herself. She forced herself to think of what she was fighting for, _who_ she needed to save who were trapped in the Dark World. It wasn't just Ryo who she wanted to find there, but Keiko as well. This would be the first time she could see the Chosen of Darkness in person, and it had been too long since Keiko had contact her; she worried if the other girl was alright. "I'm going." Her voice came out a bit gruff, but it was steady. "No matter what, I need to go."

YukimiBotamon stared at Hikari, her expression serious, before it softened. "I understand. But promise me that, if it ever becomes too much, you will tell me - immediately."

"Chosen of Light," Baihumon said, his voice cutting in to the conversation and drawing both Hikari's and YukimiBotamon's attention to him. He met her with a stare, one that was more felt than seen. "That answer is not good enough."

Hikari's eyes widened as she stared at the Holy Beast, stunned. "What?"

YukimiBotamon bristled up. "Just what are you-!?"

"We going to the land of the damned, the land of nightmares, a land that is the Digital personification of _Hell_ ," Baihumon cut off the smaller Digimon, his voice authoritative. "A fact that you clearly know all too well. If the mere _thought_ of such a place brings such terror within you, even as you stand where it cannot touch you, how will you fare when you are actually _within grasp_?"

Hikari faltered at that as her grip tightened on her partner.

"What will you do?" Baihumon asked. "Suppose you hesitate then, what do you think will happen? And what would happen to those that would leap to your defense?" His stare intensified as he stepped forward, looming over the Chosen of Light. "This is no game, there is no room for liabilities on the battlefield. If it was just your own life at risk, then it is your business alone. But what of those that are depending on you? What of those that would give their own lives to protect yours?"

"I…" Hikari began as she struggled for a response.

"I will _not_ send one Chosen Child to die for the sake of another," Baihumon growled, his voice rumbling. "If you cannot convince me that I would not be sending you on a suicide mission, then this entire conversation has been a waste of time."

YukimiBotamon's ears canted back as she glared at Baihumon. "Don't you think you're being harsh with her?!"

"Sparing her feelings won't mean anything if she's _dead_ ," Baihumon retorted. "Or if someone _else_ dies due to her own actions."

"Now wait just a minute-!" YukimiBotamon began as her fur puffed up all over her body. She was cut off, however, when Hikari's grip tightened around her. The small Digimon blinked and glanced up to her partner. "Hikari?"

"It's alright, YukimiBotamon," Hikari said, with a shake of her head. "I understand what he's saying." She lifted her head to meet Baihumon's expectant gaze. "I have an obligation to look after myself… and not do anything reckless. I need to recognize my own limitations."

"You are not simply Hikari Yamagi," Baihumon said. "You are the Chosen of Light."

"And it's _because_ I'm a Chosen Child that I have to go," Hikari said, her face becoming a mask of grim determination. "I have to do what I can to help Ryo. And I'm not going to just run away. I'm not going to let the Dark Ocean rule my life!"

Baihumon held Hikari's gaze for a long moment, neither of them wavering. Silence lingered as everyone waited with baited breath before the massive Holy Beast finally let out a heavy sigh through his nose.

"Very well," Baihumon said slowly. As Hikari's eyes widened, the tiger Digimon closed his. "You've given me much greater confidence in your success than I had at the start. It could be that I am far more weak of heart than I realized. Or that's simply more evidence of how incredible your potential is." He then gave a sharp nod of his head. "You've convinced me."

"Baihumon..." Hikari said as she felt a surge of relief at the Holy Beast's apparently approval.

"However," the Holy Beast said as he opened his eyes to focus on Hikari once more. "I do have… one more selfish request, in addition to the one we have already imposed on you. Will you first venture in to the Temple of Darkness and see how fares Narakumon? This is my _personal_ request, and one that Zhuqiaomon would want no part in… so only my thanks will be forthcoming."

Hikari nodded, the tense knot in her shoulders loosening just a little at the prospect when compared to confronting the Dark Ocean. "Of course. I wanted to see Narakumon when we get there before doing anything else anyway. The Dark World is _his_ part of the Digital World after all, and his temple is the safest place there." She paused for a moment. "Plus… we'll probably find Keiko and Nyamon there too."

"If you do, that would be a great boon," Baihumon said. "I will tell Zhuqiaomon that we are in agreement, and to send his agent to meet up with you and take you to the Dark World."

Jou rubbed the back of his neck, which prickled uneasily from the prospect of injecting himself to the conversation. "So, uh, how do we get there?" he finally asked, feeling his unease only grow when Baihumon turned that piercing too-many-eyed gaze upon him. "I mean, it's not exactly a place we can just _walk_ to, so…"

"On the contrary," Baihumon said. "There is an entrance to the Dark World, where the Dark Ocean dwells."

"Wait, what!?" Taichi blurted out as he gave a start. "Are you _serious_!?"

"Is it… wise to have an entrance to such a dangerous place?" Iori asked, slowly.

"It was not always dangerous." Baihumon said. "It _became_ dangerous."

"But where is it?" Koshiro asked before hastily pulling out his laptop. "I've never seen it in any of my scans!"

"You would not find this location in any of your scans," Baihumon said. "It was specifically designed to be invisible to eyes not meant to find it."

"That's convenient," Miyako drawled as her eyes drifted towards the sky. "So the door to the Dark World was left wide open instead of sealed off forever? Hope it's at least in a place that's too much of a pain to travel to so some poor sap wouldn't accidentally fall in and never come back out again."

"The Dark World belongs to Narakumon," Hikari said as she glanced at Miyako with furrowed brow. "It'd be unfair to him to seal his part of the Digital World off forever over something that isn't his fault."

Miyako considered the remark before shrugging. "Fair point. But I hope they at least locked the door."

"There are those that would disagree with you, Chosen of Light," Baihumon said in an ominous rumble. "Those who fear Darkness and would prefer it destroyed entirely. They are fools, but they exist." He then turned to Miyako. "The door is, indeed, locked to only those of sufficient rank. The DigiGods, the Holy Beasts, our Devas, those we have specifically chosen with our blessings… and you, the Chosen Children."

Yamato crossed his arms. "Well, that works for us! So, where are we supposed to go?"

"You will be going to where Ryo Akiyama, Keiko Ryuzaki, and Ken Ichijouji spent most of their formative years. It is where they lived when they were in Digital World, when they were not traveling about in pursuit of Zeed Millenniumon and his minions," Baihumon said, solemnly. "It is called the Crystal Tower."

* * *

"This is… absolutely incredible," Koshiro gasped out, staring in awe at the sight before him and the rest of the Chosen. "How could I not have found this place on any of my scanners?!"

True to its name, the Crystal Tower was a tower made of splendid crystalline material, glittering like a prism as it stretched high above. While the Chosen could see windows and balconies along the tower's sides, the one thing the children _couldn't_ see was the top as it disappeared into the clouds.

"Yeah, you'd… think this place would stick out like a sore thumb," Yamato said as he craned his head, staring upwards without much success.

"I certainly can't see the benefit of such a structure," Iori said as he squinted. "It is impossible to miss such a glistening tower."

"I bet that's it," Miyako said as she adjusted her glasses. "It's like a prism reflecting light." She glanced at her partner to give Pafumon a smirk. "Clever."

" _Dazzlingly_ clever!" Pafumon agreed.

"It's so _pretty_ ," Sora murmured, eyes wide.

"It's like a giant diamond!" Mimi agreed as she clapped her hands together. "Ken got to live _here_!? I'm so jealous!"

"I think that depends on if the inside is as, uh… sparkly as the outside," Yamato said as he quirked a smile. He couldn't imagine living in a place that looked so gaudy _all the time_. "Shall we take a look inside?"

The Chosen Children headed closer to the tower, which glistened invitingly in the sun at them. It didn't take long to get close to the titanic structure, up to the large entrance Baihumon had told them about. Unfortunately, there appeared to be a detail about the door that the Holy Beast _didn't_ tell them about.

Namely, that it was _on fire_.

Takeru stared at the massive metal doors, the only part of the structure that _wasn't_ crystal. And yet despite being made of non-flammable substance, it did in fact appear to be aflame - thick red fire covered every inch of it, dancing about as it dared the children to try and touch it. "It… doesn't look like it's melting, but…"

Miyako looked around until she spotted a stick, which she hurled at the wall of flame. As expected, the stick caught fire immediately and dissolved to ash then data within seconds. "Yup. Firewalls here are deadly. Figures."

"W-wait, so it's… literally a firewall!?" Jou blurted out. "Isn't that just supposed to be for internet security!?"

Koshiro ran his fingers through his hair. "This is not how firewalls are supposed to work. At all."

"It's the Digital World," Miyako said, with a shrug.

"Baihumon never said anything about a firewall," Sora said as she frowned. "He even said that Zhuqiaomon's Devas came this way!"

"That would imply that he did not know about it," Iori said. "Which means…"

"Someone put it here recently," Taichi finished, eyes narrowing. "So either Zooqueaiomon locked the door behind him, or Ken set this up to keep him from trying again."

"That doesn't make sense!" Hikari said. "Ken wouldn't try to stop Ryo from being saved!"

"Except by someone who might kill him," Daisuke said. He flinched, feeling Hikari's gaze upon him, but he didn't dare look to see what kind of expression she wore. "I-I don't mean Ken would kill Ryo! I-I mean Ken freaked out at Miyako going near Zue… Zooku… Xiuquail… ugh, _that guy_ , so he probably freaked out the same way about him going near Ryo." He paused, frowning. "Even if, ya know, Ryo is in the Dark Ocean and Zeed Millenniumon's got him, Ken's not exactly… well."

"Daisuke…" Hikari whispered, taken aback by the sharply different stance Daisuke had towards Ken now. Her eyes darted to Taichi who was too focused on Daisuke to notice, and she saw the wan smile her brother wore, as well as the hint of pride in his eyes.

"That's got to be it," Takeru said, his eyes widening as realization dawned. He turned to smile at Daisuke, brightly. "You're absolutely right, Daisuke! It makes perfect sense! He saw Zhuqiaomon's Devas go to the Dark World and assumed they were trying to kill Ryo, not save him! He certainly wasn't willing to give Zhuqiaomon the benefit of the doubt when it came to Miyako, and that was _before_ the Devas exposed him and then tried to kill him at the Battlefield Memorial!"

Koshiro sat down with legs crossed before pulling his laptop out of his bag. "Which means if we want in, we'll need to undo his code. Just give me a few minutes to find it, and I'll see what I can do…"

Hikari looked from Koshiro back to the wall of fire as a prickling feeling brought her mind back to Ken. "We… we should go back to the Digimon Kaiser fortress."

"What?!" Mimi blurted out, gawking at Hikari. "Why? You know what happened last time! Ken's Digimon will just throw _poop_ on us again!" She shuddered at the memory and hugged herself.

Hikari shook her head. "I know, but Ken made this firewall. If we tell him that we want to go to the Dark World because we have a plan to save Ryo, I'm sure he'll help us." There was also a chance he might finally want to talk to them again, she silently added to herself.

Taichi sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, grimacing as he remembered how long it took him to wash the crap out of it from last time. "If we can actually get to him this time."

"It would still be a good idea to try," Iori said. "As Ken's code has proven… difficult to deal with in the past. If we are very unlucky, he could have deleted the code for opening the door - like he did the Village of Beginnings."

Mimi groaned as she held her head. "Why can't we just email Ken about this?" she asked rhetorically with a whine at the edge of her voice. "If he'd just _talk_ to us already, it would save us all a lot of trouble!"

"Just stay here with us," Miyako said from her position knelt on the grass beside Koshiro, her eyes glued to the screen as endless strings of code flew by. "We need someone to watch our backs just in case while the rest of you are gone, and Palmon can go Ultimate."

Instantly, the gloomy cloud over Mimi evaporated into sunshine as her eyes lit up. "Yes! You're brilliant, Miyako-chan~! Palmon and I will stay here to protect you and Koshiro!"

Palmon couldn't help but facefault, if only slightly. Mimi was so transparent, it was so obvious why she was actually agreeing to stay. However, she couldn't really blame her partner, as she certainly wasn't keen on a second round of feces. "That's… that's right. I won't let anyone bother you."

Taichi made a sound that was a mixture of a sigh and a grumble as he looked from the enthusiastic Mimi to a disgruntled Yamato. "I'm guessing that means we're on poop defense duty."

"Great," Yamato said with a chuckle. "Just what I wanted, on top of everything else."

"It… it'll be fine, Yamato," Gabumon said, hesitantly. He wasn't about to back down, but visions of even more hours of scrubbing his fur hide in the bath did little to give him courage.

Agumon tried to hide his grimace and failed spectacularly as he stuck out his tongue. "Ugh. Those Kaiser Digimon fight dirty."

"I'll… stay behind with Mimi," Jou said. He jerked before quickly raising his hands, as if to head off any commentary. "It's not because of the poop! I promise!"

"Well, the poop's kind of a big deal," Gomamon said with a wry smile.

"Well, I can't deny that, but…," Jou admitted before his expression grew solemn. "I can't get it out of my head. The way Ken was so terrified of Zhuqiaomon, so convinced that he was dangerous… the fact that Zhuqiaomon wouldn't talk to us directly and had to get Baihumon involved, and that he apparently refused to help us against Armagemon..." For a moment he hesitated to continue, as his gaze dropped to the blades of grass he crumpled underneath his shuffling feet. "I can't help but think that _he's_ the one we should be most worried about. Ken is erratic, but… he thinks he's doing the right thing, even if it's completely wrong." He forced himself to raise his head so that he could offer the others a weak smile. "I'd feel better standing guard."

Gomamon's expression softened before he nodded. "Especially when it seems the worst we have to worry about from Ken is having poop thrown at us."

"C-can we stop talking about the poop already!?" Mimi demanded.

"No arguments here," Taichi said before sticking out his tongue in disgust.

Hikari furrowed her brow as she considered who Ken might upset Ken the least. "It might be best if-"

"I'll stay too," Daisuke said as he sat down on the ground, legs crossed. He opened his mouth to say more, only to falter and shut it again with a click of his teeth. Instead, he placed his hands on his knees and focused on the dancing wall of flames.

V-mon drooped before he flopped down beside Daisuke, close to his partner. "Daisuke…"

Daisuke reached out to pat V-mon on the head as he faked a smile and an even tone. "It's fine, V-mon," he said quietly. "Maybe things will actually go right with Ken this time if I'm not there."

Hikari felt a twist of guilt in her gut as she overheard the words he hadn't meant for her to hear. Instinctively, she wanted to reassure Daisuke, to say something kind to make him feel better, but the words wouldn't come. Even now, a tiny ball of anger still whispered spite in her ear, telling her that what he said was nothing but the absolute truth. Until she could erase that part of her that still held onto her resentment, she didn't trust talking with her friend on such a sensitive issue, so she turned away instead and tried to focus on what they needed to do to save Ken and Ryo.

Taichi walked over to Daisuke and placed a hand on the younger boy's head, ruffling that wild brown mane and displacing the goggles he had gifted Daisuke. "We'll take care of Ken for ya, Daisuke. Just watch out for trouble around here for now."

Daisuke took a moment to readjust his goggles back to their proper resting place on his brow before nodding slightly. It took him a moment more before he could reply in a faintly rough tone. "Right, Senpai."

"I think it's best if it's a small group, anyway," Sora said. "That way, Ken won't feel intimidated by everyone… and feel like we're confronting him."

Taichi looked at Sora thoughtfully and nodded. "Yeah. Hikari's going to be doing most of the talking anyway." He shot his sister a lopsided smile. "Right?"

Hikari breathed deep and straightened up, forcing herself to push her conflicting feelings into the back of her mind. She nodded, her mouth set in a grim but determined line. "We have to be as kind with Ken as we can, or he'll get worse."

"We should gate in _near_ the fortress," Takeru said as he glanced over to his brother. "And then sneak in. That might work out better than just randomly appearing in front of everyone again."

Yamato raised a skeptical eyebrow at his little brother. "I don't remember anyone saying you were going with us."

Takeru flashed his brother a smile. "I just assumed it went without saying."

"I think Takeru should come too," Hikari said before her red eyes met his bright blue ones. "You're the only one who really… _really_ understands what it's like for the Dark Ocean to… taint you. And what it feels like after it's been purged."

Takeru's smile faltered for a moment before his expression grew solemn. "Yeah. I think I can understand his headspace, at least a little, thanks to that."

Hikari drew closer to Takeru and placed a hand tentatively on his wrist, a silent apology in her eyes for reminding him of something so painful. "I'd also feel a lot better if you were there with me when I finally talk to Ken again."

Takeru's smile returned as he offered it to Hikari, even if it struggled to reach his eyes. "I'll do my best."

Yamato watched Hikari and Takeru for a moment before he let out a heavy sigh, looking skyward. "Well, I guess that settles it."

"It does," YukimiBotamon said, firmly. She then smiled up at her partner. "We'll hit this problem on all angles, and see what works first."

"Right," Yamato said before he turned to Koshiro. "Let us know if you manage to get anywhere. We'll put our DT2s on silent, but will keep an eye out."

Taichi stepped closer to Sora and dropped his voice low near her ear. "Keep an eye on Daisuke for me, would ya? We had a talk last night about Ken, and he's pretty much kicking himself right now over everything that happened between them."

"I will," Sora said as she gave a firm nod, her voice soft and yet filled with determination. "I'll look after him."

"Thanks," Taichi said, flashing her a smile. He paused for a moment, glancing around at the others, before he gave Sora a hug, his cheeks pinking. "Watch out for crazy Digimon attacks too, okay?"

Sora's own cheeks pinked as well. She hesitated before deciding to go with her impulse, leaning up to give the Chosen of Courage a small peck on the cheek. "You do the same, okay?"

Taichi's blush turned a vivid shade of scarlet as his hand went to his cheek where Sora kissed him. With a goofy grin growing on his face he nodded, lingering with his arms around her a moment longer before finally pulling away.

He barely took two unsteady steps before he noticed Yamato grinning at him while waggling eyebrows. His smile instantly skewed up into an embarrassed scowl as the red in his face reached all the way to his ears. "Sh-shut up!"

Yamato looked away, but his grin widened. "Anyway, is everyone ready?"

Hikari nodded, her muscles faintly tense. "Yes. Let's go talk to Ken."

* * *

The crowd was massive, Digimon spilling out in all directions as they overflowed the castle. The assembled Chosen had never seen so many Digimon in one place before, and certainly weren't expecting to see so many at the lair of the Digimon Kaiser. Even though they had gated a good distance away, it was still almost too close, putting them just barely out of sight of the gathering.

To further compound their confusion, the gathering seemed more like a festival than an army preparing for war. Decorations and stalls with games and food vendors lined the street, filling the air with the sweet sound of laughter and tantalizing aromas. Tyrian purple banners of the Digimon Kaiser swayed on poles overhead, matching the black bands that the Digimon all wore. Digimon of all shapes and stages of evolution skittered about excitedly, barely containing themselves as they visited concession stands and attempted to win plush prizes. Bafflingly, dolls of of the Digimon Kaiser himself seemed to be the most sought after of all.

Taichi crouched low behind an outcropping of rocks and gestured for the rest of the group to join him before they were spotted. As the others got into concealed positions beside him, he pulled out the retractable telescope from his pocket and began surveying the area. "Okay," he whispered. "If they're partying, they're distracted, so that means sloppy guards not looking at every way inside…"

"Right," Yamato agreed quietly as he crouched by Taichi. "But what are they even doing, and with so many Digimon? Why would they have a festival at a _Digimon Kaiser stronghold_?"

Taichi shrugged, but didn't stop scrying through the telescope. "Who knows? Maybe they're partying because Ken conquered someplace new, or because he's not using the Evil Rings anymore to brainwash them."

Takeru made a noise in his throat as he peered over the rock as well. "If we're _lucky_ , that's all it is..."

"Why don't we go in and ask them?" Agumon asked as he looked to his partner. "There's so many Digimon, no one'd question us at all!"

"That's a good idea," Hikari whispered. "It worked really well last time when Tailmon and the others pretended to be under Ken's control."

Taichi let out a frustrated huff of air as he lowered his telescope. "Yeah, that's probably going to work out better for us getting in. It's so crowded, I don't see any way in where there aren't at least three Digimon goofing around."

"We'll just act like we don't know anything," Gabumon said. "They might talk to us."

"Just be careful," Takeru said as he glanced at his partner, prompting Patamon to give him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry," Patamon said. "We'll be right back!"

"I'll stay with Hikari," YukimiBotamon said. "If you end up needing to run, I would just hold you back."

Patamon nodded. "Okay. Watch out for Takeru for me."

"Of course," YukimiBotamon replied, without hesitation.

The three Child-form Digimon cautiously ventured towards the crowd, their movements tentative and wary depending on how the first contact went. However, the other Digimon gave the Chosen partners barely more than a passing glance, as one would give any other festival goer. In fact, after the initial glances, the crowd paid the trio no mind as they were far more concerned with the dozens of stalls. Food of all sorts, flashy games, and what appeared to be merchandise was far more interesting than the stumbling newcomers.

After a moment of staring around the festival grounds in confusion, Agumon finally got the courage to turn his attention to a nearby Gizamon that was passing him by. "Hey, uh, what's going on?"

The orange furred frog-like Digimon stopped, all four feet halting at once, before he turned to fix Agumon with an incredulous stare. "What are you, stupid? Don't you _know_?"

"Er, um," Gabumon fidgeted as he drew closer to Agumon. "We're not from around here, so… not really."

"We heard all the commotion and came to see what's going on!" Patamon added, helpfully. "Is it a party?"

The Gizamon glanced at the three, narrowing his eyes, before he let out a huff. "A bunch of _yokels_ , then."

"Hey now, heeey now, it's all good, isn't it?" a Psychemon asked jovially as hewandered over, who looked to be a spitting image of Gabumon with a palette swap. Instead of yellow skin with a light blue fur with purple stripes, the new Digimon had bright magenta skin with white fur sporting violent stripes. "The Digimon Kaiser welcomes everyone, _even_ the yokels! That just means it's up to us to educate them!"

The Gizamon went quiet at that before he grunted and began to walk away in defeat.

"Welcome, then!" Psychemon said as he turned to the trio, though he seemed more focused on Gabumon as he flashed the similar Digimon a bright grin. "You've come at a great time! Let's get you some bands and I'll explain what's going on!"

Agumon looked from Gabumon to Psychemon and back again before finally remembering to smile back at Psychemon, though it was lopsided and nervous at the thought of getting another black band slapped around him. "Oh, uh, we don't wa… I-I mean, b-bands?"

"Yep~!" Psychemon chirped before he lifted his arm to show off the black band around his arm. "Just like this one~!"

Agumon focused on the band, relieved to see that these new ones with the purple Pride symbol on them were still made of cloth. Still, he tried to play it cool even as nervous drops of sweat trickled down the back of his head. "Oh, uh, aren't those the 'Evil Rings' that control Digimon? I heard the Digimon Kaiser used to force them on every Digimon he caught and make them his slaves."

"Oh, that was a long time ago," Psychemon said with a wave of his hand. "They don't do _that_ anymore. Instead, it's just to show solidarity with the Digimon Kaiser in his efforts to create a utopia for all Digimon."

"A… utopia?" Gabumon repeated, slowly.

"You'll hear _aaaall_ about it soon enough, once the Digimon Kaiser comes out to give his speech," Psychemon replied before his eyes began to shimmer. "I could never explain it the way _he_ can. He's just so _amazing_!"

Patamon plastered on a cheerful smile that would make Takeru proud. "You seem to like the Digimon Kaiser a lot. He must not be as bad a guy like the rumors said."

"Definitely not!" Psychemon agreed before he positively beamed. "You're in for a _real_ treat! You all won't regret coming out today!"

Patamon visibly brightened. "Glad to hear it. I can't wait to see the Digimon Kaiser for myself."

"So, uh, is that why all _this_ is going on?" Gabumon asked as he touched his claws against his chin. "Why is he here any-"

Psychemon latched on to Gabumon's arm and all but began to drag him through the crowd, off to the side. "Now, let's get you in some bands, right quick! And then we can answer aaaaall your questions afterwards. Though I'm sure that once you hear him for yourselves, you'll have every answer you need!"

Agumon and Patamon glanced at each other before they hurried after Psychemon and Gabumon, weaving through the crowd. It was a short trip before they found themselves in front of a large table covered in black bands of all shapes and sizes

A Goblimon was manning the table, handing out bands to everyone that approached. When Psychemon approached with his three guests, Goblimon spent barely a glance at the trio before he grabbed three child-sized arm bands and handed them wordlessly to the eager Digimon.

"Here you go~! One, two, and three!" Psychemon said as he handed the cloth to the Chosen partners. "Just put it wherever you feel most comfortable wearing it!"

Agumon made a face but accepted the band anyway. He was smart enough to know not to vocalize that he wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it _at all_ , as Taichi was counting on him to get information - not start a fight. He glanced at the others to see them putting on the bands and proceeded to do so himself, doing his best to ignore the intense feeling of discomfort and how it reminded him of when he was forced to wear the Evil Ring.

"I'm sure you've _very_ familiar with the typical squabbles between the Ultimates, and the hell that put all of us _lower_ Digimon through," Psychemon said as he watched the trio put on their bands with a big smile. He didn't seem to notice their hesitance, or chose to ignore it. "Serve or die… and even then, that didn't guarantee anything. You're really only safe and secure as long as they're in power, and that _never_ lasts." He shook his head with a sigh. "I mean, even the Dark Masters couldn't last. While serving Piemon had its own risks, I at least knew what to expect and thought that surely _he'd_ last. But he died like all the others and I was back to just trying to survive!"

Patamon immediately thought of Tailmon and her time under Vamdemon. The scars on her paws were proof of what she had gone through, what she had survived - and it was hardly an experience exclusive to her. It was enough to make his stomach churn.

"But now we'll never have to worry about that again! Those stupid squabbles have all but completely disappeared!" Psychemon said, clapped his clawed hands together. "That's all thanks to the Digimon Kaiser! He's strong enough to take on _everyone_ , even the Holy Beasts! Under him, we won't ever have to worry about the future again!"

"Uh, why?" Agumon asked, with a blink.

"Because he's a Chosen Child!" Pyschemon replied, brightly. "They've defeated _everyone_ , including Digimon that no one thought _could_ be beat! Devimon, Etemon, Vamdemon, the Dark Masters… even the Holy Beasts themselves! _No one_ can beat the Chosen Children!"

Patamon frowned. He couldn't help but notice that Psychemon was mixing Ken's accomplishments with that of their own and he felt the strong desire to correct the Digimon, despite his mission. However, before he could, the sound of trumpets blaring cut him off and drew his attention - as well as that of everyone else - up towards a balcony of the fortress overlooking the grounds.

While it was still quite far away, the Digimon were still able to get a glimpse of a cloaked figure walking in to view - a cloaked _human_ figure.

"Is that…?" Yamato murmured as he stood up as much as he dared, straining to see. Even they heard the trumpets, despite the considerable distance. Unfortunately, they could see little more.

"Yup," Taichi said grimly as he looked through the scope. "That's Ken, alright."

"Let me see!" Hikari blurted out even as she snatched up the telescope, ignoring Taichi's yelp. It took her a moment to get it focused in the proper position, but when she saw the Digimon Kaiser, her jaw clenched.

It was irrational, Hikari knew, but part of her had been hoping that there had been some sort of misunderstanding, and Ken hadn't taken the mantle of the Digimon Kaiser again. Even if things seemed far better now for the Digimon within the empire, it still felt wrong for Ken to behave like a tyrant, especially after being purged of both the Dark Seed and the taint of the Dark Ocean.

At the same time, there was also relief. This was her opportunity to finally talk to Ken again after the tragic incident of Armagemon. With that thought in mind, Hikari searched by the Digimon Kaiser's legs for Wormmon, but was startled to see a wholly different Digimon by his side. "What the…?"

"What is it?" Takeru asked, his focus shifting between squinting in the direction Hikari was looking and the girl herself.

Rather than describe it in full, Hikari handed off the telescope to Takeru. "I can't see Wormmon anywhere… and there's another Digimon next to Ken." She glanced down at YukimiBotamon. "Unless it's Wormmon in a totally different form…" She trailed off, worrying that, perhaps, the Dark Ocean had left a permanent mark behind that even death could not erase.

Takeru frowned as he looked through the scope to find the Digimon in question, then paused. He was immediately taken aback by the stern, unyielding expression Dracomon wore on his face as he stood by the Digimon Kaiser. "If that is Wormmon, he's completely changed… more than just appearance."

"What do you mean?" Taichi asked as he held his hand out impatiently for the telescope, only to frown as Takeru instead held it to YukimiBotamon's eye due to her present lack of hands.

"I could never imagine Wormmon making that kind of face," Takeru said.

"I agree," YukimiBotamon said as she squinted. "There's no kindness, no gentleness in that face."

Yamato was next to take the scope to get a look at the Digimon Kaiser and Dracomon for himself, much to Taichi's frustration; it only made the Chosen of Courage want to see this mysterious Digimon all the more.

"Yeah, no kidding," Yamato said before he pulled the scope back. He glanced at Taichi, a sly grin on his face, before finally offering the scope back to its master.

Taichi spared a moment to shoot Yamato an annoyed roll of his eyes before eagerly peering off into the distance again. He felt mildly disappointed that the Digimon he saw wasn't somehow more impressive for all his impatience. "Huh. Yeah. That guy looks like he's constipated."

Yamato let out a 'snrk' sound before he covered his mouth with his hand. "Well, that's one way to describe it."

The three infiltrating Chosen Digimon felt no small amount of discomfort as the other Digimon around them screamed and cheered - Psychemon included. Their distinct quiet made them stick out like a sore thumb among the sea of enthusiasm. However, just as suddenly as it had begun, all the Digimon went perfectly silent when the Digimon Kaiser raised his hand.

With his rapt audience now silent, the Digimon Kaiser reached over to his collar to touch the button hidden there.

"You have done well," the Digimon Kaiser said, his voice booming so loudly that even the Chosen Children had no trouble hearing him. "I placed my expectations in you, and you have exceeded them. This fortress is not only a monument to my ever growing power and strength, but to your dedication to me. For that, you should be proud."

The Digimon Kaiser was answered by a burst of cheers applause from the gathered crowd. Gabumon, Agumon, and Patamon glanced around as the Digimon around them screamed their approval, clapping their hands - or paws, as the case may be - together to join in the clamorous din.

"Lord Kaiserrrrr~!" Psychemon shouted as he stood on a nearby table, waving his paws back and forth.

"Oraoraoraaaaa! Quiet down!" GrapLeomon barked from his position at the front of the fortress, raising his fists threateningly at the crowd. He seemed oblivious to the fact that his own voice was just as loud as the others, adding to the noise. "The Digimon Kaiser is still speaking!"

The Digimon Kaiser waited for the crowd to settle before he spoke again.

"This fortress will stand with the others as a monument to my strength, and to the strength of my empire," the Digimon Kaiser said. "And a silent warning to those that dare oppose me. Let your actions stand for themselves, and I shall stand alongside you as we bring a utopia to the Digital World!"

"Is it just me," Yamato said softly. "Or is he saying some pretty crazy things right now?"

"Yeah," Taichi muttered as he lowered his telescope. "Is he really buying what he's selling?"

"Probably not," Takeru said, quietly. "But the Digimon are definitely swallowing it up."

Hikaru furrowed her brow as she chewed on the Digimon Kaiser's speech along with her lower lip. "Maybe it's his way of making amends for what he did under the Dark Ocean's influence."

"A new outlook, to go with his new outfit?" Taichi mused as he crossed his arms.

"But if that's the case, why isn't he talking to us?" Yamato asked as he glanced to Hikari. "Or at least you."

"We're here to find that out," YukimiBotamon said, her eyes focused on the Digimon Kaiser as he made his speech.

Hikari gave a sharp nod as she squinted her eyes at the distant stage before she paused. A glimpse of something in her peripheral vision caught her attention and drew her eyes towards the side of the fortress. To her surprised, all of the sentries and celebrating Digimon seemed to have moved from the area, leaving it clear. Even better, there appeared to be a large wooden door partially ajar, perhaps a service entrance of some kind.

Hikari only took a moment to consider the situation before steeling herself, deciding not to question their good fortune lest the opportunity slip away. "Follow me!" she hissed, the only warning she gave to the others as she hurried over to the door.

"H-Hikari!?" Taichi blurted out, surprised at her suddenly taking off. He glanced towards Agumon as his partner was still stuck in the crowd before he let out a curse and chased after his sister.

"What the hell-?" Yamato began before he jerked as Takeru bolted past, hurrying after Hikari and Taichi. With a displeased grunt, he lept out of hiding to wave towards the crowd, hoping Gabumon or the other Digimon would spot him. When it was quickly apparent that they wouldn't turn around before some random Digimon did, he let out a quiet curse and chased after his friends and little brother.

Hikari made it to the door well before the others did and peered inside to see, much to her relief, the passageway was empty. She quickly glanced about to make sure no Digimon had spotted them before looking down at YukimiBotamon, who had quickly figured out what was happening. The small Digimon gave her partner a sharp nod, which Hikari returned before she reached up to grab the door and began to tug on it. Unfortunately, it was far too heavy for her to move by herself, causing her to yank harder with frustration.

"You're crazy, you know that?" Taichi whispered harshly as he joined his sister's side, reaching to grab the side of the door.

"Recklessness runs in the family, apparently," Yamato said as he moved to help Taichi as Takeru came to a stop by Hikari and kept watch on the crowd.

The door gave easily to the two boys' strength, opening with a dull creak that couldn't begin to be heard over the clamorous Digimon. The children quickly confirmed that no one had noticed, looking around, before they rushed inside within the fortress itself.

The Chosen Children were greeted by a large kitchen area, big enough to feed an army. It had numerous ovens, with counter space wrapping all around the walls of the room. All of it seemed centered around an open barbecue pit, where a big chunk of meat on a bone slowly turned on a spit. Everything looked like great preparations had been underway before being suddenly cut short, with everyone taking off in a great hurry - evidenced by a container of pepper that had been dropped, spilling its contents across the floor.

Takeru eyed the room with a suspicious gaze and furrowed brow, an uncomfortable hum rumbling at the back of his throat. "That's… odd."

"So, uh, now what?" Taichi asked as he scratched the back of his head.

The door slammed shut behind the Chosen Children, causing them to jump. They turned in time to see FlaWizarmon leaning against the door, his arms crossed as he cut off not only their escape but any way for Agumon, Patamon, and Gabumon to reach them.

"I was wonderin' if ya'll were stupid enough to fall for such an obvious trap," FlaWizarmon said, coolly. "Turns out... ya were."

"FlaWizarmon!" YukimiBotamon gasped out as the children turned to face the Digimon.

"Yup," FlaWizarmon said with a sharp smirk. "That would be me."

"And don't forget me, dearies," Witchmon's voice drew the humans' attention to the other entrance of the kitchen, the one leading out into the fortress itself. She smiled like a shark as he sat on her broom, her cats bristled as they glared at the Chosen Children with no small amount of animosity. "We _certainly_ haven't forgotten _you_."

Despite the irritation radiating off the two Digimon, Hikari was relieved to see them. "FlaWizarmon, Witchmon! We're so glad you're here. How are Ken and Wormmon doing? We haven't heard anything for so long we were afraid that…"

Witchmon's mouth curved into a dangerous crescent of dagger-like teeth as she loomed in closer to the children. "That Wormmon's death destroyed Ken-chan and sent him to the Dark Ocean in despair? Is that what you were thinking?"

Hikari cringed back from the vicious smile and tone dripping with tension, but forced her feet to remain solidly in place. "Y-yes," she said, barely above a whisper. "Keiko said she 'got him,' so, we…"

"Well, _someone_ sure got 'im, alright," FlaWizarmon said, his smile showing no warmth. "Got him _real_ good."

"Not even we realized he was taken by the Dark Ocean until it was too late," Witchmon intoned in a singsong voice that carried a discordant undertone that not even she could completely cover up with false cheer.

Hikari sucked in a breath and held it, her eyes flying open wide.

"Wait, Ken went to the Dark Ocean!?" Taichi sputtered. "Again? He's tainted _again_!?"

"Turns out all that hard work was for nuthin'," FlaWizarmon said with a deceptively casual shrug. "Chasin' the Dark Ocean outta his head only for it to get its mitts on him anyway. Guess you don't need taint when you _emotionally destroy_ someone."

Hikari couldn't breathe. Her vision blurred beneath a veil of tears as she held her partner closer.

Takeru immediately noticed Hikari's distressand moved closer, grasping her shoulder in support. "Hikari…"

"So you're saying that Ken-chan _has_ come back as the Digimon Kaiser," YukimiBotamon said, slowly. Her body gave a small shiver against Hikari's arms, though she attempted to keep herself strong - for her partner's sake. "And it's because of his time in the Dark Ocean."

" _I'm_ sayin' that you all need to mind yer damn business," FlaWizarmon said as he slammed his foot back against the door for emphasis. "'Cuz you've done _enough_ , dontcha think?"

"We only let you in here to tell you one thing," Witchmon said before she peeled back her cheerful mask to reveal a twisted sneer of sharp teeth and pinprick eyes that pierced through each of the Chosen Children. "Never come near Ken-chan again."

"You can't seriously expect us to agree to that," Yamato said as he alternated his wary gaze between the two Digimon.

"There ain't no agreeing," FlaWizarmon said. "Just a warnin'."

"B-but…," Hikari choked out, her voice hitching from her tears. "That wasn't… if you just let me-"

"We did," Witchmon snapped, cutting Hikari's pleas off before grinding her too sharp teeth. "And look where that got us, _dearie_."

The words were a slap in the face to Hikari.

"That's enough!"

The forceful male voice cut through the conversation like a knife, drawing all eyes past FlaWizarmon and Witchmon to the end of the hallway. The sound of boots and claws clicking on the polished stone floor heralded the arrival of the Digimon Kaiser, followed closely by Dracomon. A different kind of tension rolled in with his intimidating presence, his stance unwavering and confident as he approached the Chosen.

"You're taking your frustration out on the wrong person," the Digimon Kaiser said, his irritation seeming to come from a place of annoyance more than anger. However, the tense line of his mouth softened to a more inscrutable emotion as he turned towards Hikari, his eyes obscured by the dark lenses of his goggles. "Hikari Yagami chose Ken over her friends and brother. It's hardly her fault that she had good reason to do so."

FlaWizarmon reached up to grip the edge of his hat, pulling it down over his eyes. "Right as always, Kaiser-kun."

Witchmon took a shuddering as she looked away while bringing a hand to her face, the ghostly cat coiling about her hat with a lashing tail. "You're right… You're right."

"Ken…," Hikari said breathlessly, her eyes widening. Almost immediately she looked the Digimon Kaiser up and down as a rush of panic shot through her. "Where are you tainted? We… we'll figure out a way to overcharge the Digimental of Darkness again, then we-"

The Digimon Kaiser held up a hand as a signal to silence Hikari, only lowering it again when she went quiet. "Only Wormmon is tainted now. I'm taking care of him."

Hikari released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Oh thank goodness. I… I kept worrying that Wormmon was sent to the Dark Ocean after… after…"

The Digimon Kaiser opened his mouth briefly before shutting it, reconsidering his words before he finally spoke again. "There's nothing more for you to do here." With a sweeping gesture, he brought up a series of view screens behind him that displayed Digimon of all sorts wearing his banner, working together or celebrating in the festival. "I'm bringing peace to the Digital World and taking care of Wormmon. I am not tainted by the Dark Ocean and never will be, so there's no need for you to worry about my well being. I won't ask for a miracle and request that you keep your comrades from acting like morons, but do _try_ not to interfere."

"Hey now, what's that supposed to mean!?" Taichi demanded as he clenched a fist at the Digimon Kaiser.

However, rather than flinch back, the boy turned to stare down Taichi impassively as Dracomon moved swiftly between them.

"It means that you are an idiot," Dracomon said as he glared at the Chosen of Courage. " _And_ a fool."

Hikari placed a hand on Taichi's arm and gently, but firmly, pushed it down. "Let me handle this, big brother. Please."

Although Taichi's first reaction was to protest, he managed to catch himself, thinking immediately of Daisuke. Mollified, he stepped back and nodded to Hikari; he would trust his little sister's judgement when it came to Ken.

"Ken…," Hikari began before pausing to make sure the words she chose were the right ones. "We're not just here because of what you've been doing in the Digital World. We're here because we're worried about how you. We're all still your friends, and we want to make things right between us."

FlaWizarmon made a scoffing noise in the back of his throat, but quickly went silent when the Digimon Kaiser raised his hand in his direction.

"Not now," the Digimon Kaiser said with a voice that attempted to be soft but still carried the weight of finality and some heavy emotion that was hard to pin down. "Later, when I can heal Wormmon, then we can talk again about this, but right now…" His gaze drifted from Hikari to the rest of the Chosen Children. "I don't want to see you." His mouth twisted until a canine poked out to dig into his lip. "Especially not _him_."

There was no doubt in the minds of anyone gathered who the Digimon Kaiser was referring to as the light glared across his eyes and obscured the hatred that practically radiated off of him.

Taichi winced, still vividly recalling his heart-to-heart with Daisuke the other day. "About that… Daisuke feels-"

" _I don't want to hear it_!" the Digimon Kaiser roared, his booming voice echoing off the walls like a physical force that made nearly everyone step back from him. For a moment he stood quaking, hands clenched tight at his sides, before he finally spoke again in a low and dangerous hiss. "I don't want to even hear his name. He is never, _ever_ welcome in my sight again!"

Taichi couldn't let it go at that. "But-!"

"Enough!" the Digimon Kaiser snapped again, though not as loudly as before. "Continue to push me on this, and this conversation ends here and now, and you won't be let back in again!"

Taichi bit his tongue, though it tasted a little of betrayal. He wanted to do more to help Daisuke and Ken make amends, but he couldn't risk pressing the matter and possibly pushing Ken away from them for good.

Hikari slipped a hand up to clutch her chest, her other hand pulling her partner closer as her heart ached for Ken. "I'm so sorry… I should've… if I had just…"

The Digimon Kaiser held up a hand to silence Hikari again as he focused his breathing to even out, eventually lowering it with a sigh that took the edge off his tension. "Enough," he said, a bit more gently this time. "You have nothing to apologize for, Hikari. Nor do you, YukimiBotamon. That's why I let you in at all. You were kind when… when I needed it the most."

Hikari smiled wanly, relieved by those words, even if she couldn't completely let go of her feelings of guilt.

"I don't want to talk of what happened anymore," the Digimon Kaiser said, straightening up a bit as his emotions slid neatly behind a neutral mask. "Is that all you came here for?"

Takeru glanced at the others before he returned his attention to the boy in front of them. They were definitely in a difficult situation, as their hostility was far greater than any of them had hoped for - especially Hikari. However, they had come for a reason, and it was too soon to back down just yet. "We need you to remove your firewall on the Crystal Tower."

There was a beat of silence before the Digimon Kaiser responded, his expression deadpan. "Do you even have the slightest clue why I put a firewall there in the first place?" He paused more for effect rather than to wait for an actual answer. "The door to the Dark World inside the Crystal Tower can never be closed, and the DigiGods are vulnerable. I have placed firewalls in both places to protect _everyone._ "

"Vulnerable?" Takeru repeated, slowly. "So something _has_ happened to Narakumon?"

"Whatever the case," Yamato said as he crossed his arms. "We need to go to the Dark World."

"Are you insane?" the Digimon Kaiser asked, his mouth twisting in an inscrutable expression. "Do you even know what's there?"

"We know what's waiting for us there," Yamato said as he stepped closer to the Digimon Kaiser. "We also know it's the only way we can get to Ryo."

The Digimon Kaiser stiffened. "Ryo?"

"The hell you know about Ryo?" FlaWizarmon growled as he leaned against the door, his arms crossed. "Not a _damn_ thing."

"We know he's in the Dark World with Zeed Millenniumon," Takeru said. "And we now have a way to find him."

Witchmon dug two of her large fingers into the collar of her dress as emotions warred across her face. "Zeed Millenniumon is in the Dark Ocean. And Ryo… Ryo…!" Her ghostly cat let out a mournful howl as her eyes shimmered wetly. "How can you save him from that!?"

"Do you even know what you're asking me to do?" the Digimon Kaiser asked, his gaze fixed on Yamato. "Do you even have the slightest idea what going to war against the Dark Ocean means? What you'll be facing?"

"No," Yamato admitted, slowly, his eyes drifting to his companions. "I only know what Hikari's experienced, and what Takeru saw. And even that won't be able to compare to what we'll actually be facing - Chosen of Darkness or not." He turned back to meet the Digimon Kaiser's stare unflinchingly. "I don't want to go, but we _need_ to go. We _need_ to get to Ryo, and get him out of that hell."

A pregnant silence followed as the two groups stared at each other, though Witchmon soon turned away, pulling her hat down over her face.

"You're all planning to go," the Digimon Kaiser accused, an edge to his voice. Although he kept his gaze in Yamato's direction, the other children could feel his eyes behind the tinted goggles skirt across each of them in turn.

"We're going to use the Darkness Digimentals to protect everyone that's weak to the Dark Ocean," Yamato said. "While I, Sora, and Miyako use our own Darkness to lead the way. Baihumon thinks it will work, as the Digimentals will be strengthened by the Dark World itself."

The Digimon Kaiser sood still for a few seconds before stroking his chin with a gloved finger as a quiet hum rumbled in his throat. "That's actually smart. The Digimentals work like armor and change your type for as long as the energy lasts." He pointedly looked from Hikari to Takeru to Taichi and back to Yamato again. "But that won't protect you from the whispers. Not even Darkness is strong enough alone to keep them out of your head when you're inside the Dark Ocean."

"This won't be my first run in with the whispers," Yamato said. He ignored how Takeru turned to stare at him, startled that he revealed his past experience so quickly. "I've already heard them before, a long time ago… and they very nearly _did_ consume me. But I've grown since then, and I've learned not to shoulder everything myself and assume I'm alone. At least in that case, I know what to expect… and I know how to fight it. And we've already decided that if anyone looks like they're struggling, they're getting sent back out." He then turned his head just enough to give Takeru a poignant stare. "With or without their consent."

Takeru looked about to argue as he bristled, then let out a low snort through his nose. It was hard to argue, when he knew it applied to Hikari as well as himself. And him arguing would only embolden Hikari to push herself harder than she should. He had to swallow his pride, if only for Hikari's sake. "If that's what it takes. But I'd like to think I won't be an easy target this time."

"We all would like to think that," Yamato said before he returned his attention to the Digimon Kaiser.

"I'll consider this plan," the Digimon Kaiser said slowly. "However, if any of you are planning to be foolish enough to go into the Dark Ocean itself to drag Ryo out, it will _only_ be the Darkness Chosen. I trust the Digimentals enough to protect the rest of you in the Dark World, but if they were to fail at the wrong moment…" He trailed off, letting the dreadful thought hang in the air for a long moment before he spoke again.

The Digimon Kaiser fixed his gaze on Yamato. "You have Darkness inside your heart. It'll never leave you. You're the only ones that have a chance of going into the Dark Ocean and coming back out again even if the worst happens to you."

Yamato gave a small nod. "My Darkness comes from my friends - and that includes Ryo. I'm not going to fail him. Even if that means physically pulling him out with my bare hands."

The Digimon Kaiser nodded as well. "Alright then. Give me all the details of this plan of yours and some time to think things over. If I'm consenting to something so dangerous, I want to know everything you've got in mind."

Yamato smiled. "Works for me."


	6. Chapter 6

By the time Hikari and the rest returned to the Crystal Tower, not much seemed to have changed. Jou and the others were still standing guard as Koshiro and Miyako loitered as close to the door as they dared, with the Chosen of Knowledge sitting on the ground in front of his laptop while Miyako sat next to him with her DT2 in her hands. At the sudden bright flash of the Digital Gate, the others quickly looked up just in time to see their friends returning, with their partners in tow.

"You're back!" Sora said as she straightened up. While she couldn't believe that Ken would actually try to harm the others, she couldn't help but feel relief upon seeing them return safely just the same.

"No luck?" Taichi asked as he approached Koshiro, then squatted down next to him.

"No," Koshiro said with a heavy sigh.

"Even the chatroom is having trouble with it," Miyako said without looking up. "It was bad enough before, but it's like his skills have advanced to a new level of complex. This code is _nasty_."

"How about your end?" Sora asked as she approached the Chosen of Courage. "No luck?"

"Oh, we had luck," Taichi replied as he reached up to rub the back of his head. " _Some_ kinda luck."

Daisuke fidgeted from his own place on the ground, debating if he wanted to ask any questions or not. After a moment, the pressure in his chest became too much as the need to know overrode his _fear_ to know. He tentatively turned to the Chosen of Courage as he plucked stray blades of grass. "Did… Ken say anything?"

Taichi grimaced before he could stop himself. After a moment's hesitation, he gave Daisuke a weak smile. "It's… going to take some time." At the Chosen of Tenacity's stricken expression, Taichi quickly raised his hands defensively. "B-but hey, we already knew that, right? We knew it'd take some work, so… we'll get there!"

It took a moment for Daisuke to force a word from his dry throat as he turned away. "Right." Right. He knew this would happen. Of course Ken wouldn't forgive him; he certainly hadn't. Why did he even get his hopes up?

Takeru felt his heart go out to Daisuke and he gave the boy a sympathetic look before he turned to the others. "My brother was able to convince Ken to at least hear us out… and he said he'd _consider_ the plan. It seemed pretty hopeful to me."

"The fact that he didn't kick us out was pretty hopeful," Yamato said as he crossed his arms. "But for now, we need to wait and see if he thinks our plan is a good one."

"U-um…" a tiny voice said, barely a whisper. "E-excus-"

"Unfortunately," Koshiro said with a sigh as he finally looked up from his laptop. "As much as I don't want to give up, I have to admit that we haven't made any progress at all. It'll take us a long time to figure it out, if we ever do."

"I'm sure you could do it," Tentomon said. "You're just lacking in experience. If given enough time, you'd be able to figure it out."

"E-ex… excuse me…" the mousy voice murmured.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Koshiro said as he gave his partner a weak smile. "But that's just it - we don't _have_ a lot of time. We don't have the luxury of doing this at our own pace."

"Even as we speak, Ryo's suffering," Sora said as she clasped her hands together.

"Yeah, but thinking like that won't help anyone, either," Yamato said. "Not only will it just stress us out even more, but it could make us reckless in a place just _waiting_ for an opening."

"That's right, Sora~!" Piyomon said. "We need to just focus on what we can do _now_!"

"Um… u-u-um…" the voice tried to interject again, but it could barely reach above a whisper. "S-sorry, but-"

"That's right!" Taichi shouted, pumping his fist in the air as though to punch away the cloud of pessimism hovering over all of them. "Even if Ken decides not to help us, we're still better off than we were last time. I mean, he actually let us in to talk to us and none of his Digimon threw any crap at us again."

"That's definitely a plus," Mimi said, then stuck out her tongue with a grimace.

"Yeah, definitely," Palmon agreed before mimicking her partner.

"That's right. We're in a much better position, for once," Jou said as he adjusted his glasses. "Though we still haven't seen that agent of Zhuqiaomon that Baihumon said would be coming…"

"Um… um…!" the meek voice stammered, but it still fell short of the conversational din.

"Is it possible that he changed his mind?" Iori asked, with a frown. "Perhaps he decided against it after all."

"After going to the lengths of getting Baihumon involved?" Miyako shook her head. "No, it wouldn't look good for someone so high up in the food chain to back out now. I bet he'd never hear the end of it from Baihumon, for one."

"I hope not," Hikari said, more to herself. "Ryo's depending on-"

" _E-excuuuuuse m-m-m-m-meeeeeeeeeeeeee_!" shrieked the voice, high-pitched and breaking from the exertion. The explosion of unexpected sound came from directly behind the Chosen, causing them and their partners to all jump at the same time. For a moment, they could only look around at each other and their surroundings in confusion before they finally all saw the Digimon standing at an awkward distance from the group.

The Child Digimon squeaked as eyes turned to him, causing him to scrunch up with great embarrassment the full gravity of what he had done. It was a purple dragon Digimon - the very same one that had accompanied Zhuqiaomon - that blushed a brilliant shade of fuschia before the crowd of staring children and Digimon before him. For a moment he could only stammer out fragmented syllables that failed to form into words before he hastened to bow deeply enough that his horn brushed against the grass. Unfortunately, it had the side-effect of causing the Crest of Miracles to nearly fall off his neck, causing another squeak to escape him as he jerked upright and quickly snatched the sacred item before it could fall to the ground.

Once the Digimon was upright again, he held the crest and his hand over his rapidly beating heart. "I-I, um… I-I am Monodramon!" he said, his voice quaking as his rushed introduction crashed his words together. "P-pleased to meet you! I-I w-w-was sent by Lord Zhuqiaomon to help you rescue Lord Ryo!"

"Uh," Taichi muttered, blinking slowly at the awkward Digimon. "Right." With a shake of the head to clear his thoughts, he recovered from his surprise and smiled. "Nice to meet you too, Monodramon. I'm Taichi Yagami."

"And I'm Agumon!" Agumon chirped as he tilted his head curiously.

Monodramon bowed again, but not quite as far as before, as he held the crest protectively against his chest. "P-p-pleased to meet you…!"

The rest of the Chosen Children and their partners added in their own greetings, with Monodramon bowing to each one in turn. By the end, his face was glowing red as he fidgeted in front of them, acutely aware of their intense scrutiny.

"So, you work for Zhuqiaomon, huh?" Miyako asked, cocking an eyebrow as her sharp eyes scanned the nervous little dragon. "What's the guy like?"

"O-oh, he's incredible!" Monodramon said as he perked up. "He's v-very powerful and brave, and protects our world! It's an honor to serve him!"

Takeru hesitated as he briefly debated asking the dragon Digimon why, if Zhuqiaomon was so impressive, that he never aided them before then - the same question they had asked Mystimon. However, he quickly squashed that impulse. There was absolutely nothing to gain from alienating a potential ally with such a question, as the answer wouldn't really change anything. "So he sent you to help us?"

"Y-yes!" Monodramon said, brightly. "H-he gave me the Crest of Miracles, a-a-and embedded a program inside of me that lets me use it!" He pointed a claw at the crest as it rest against his chest. "W-with this, I can utilize the crest's power to repel Z-Z-Zeed Millenniumon and lead us right to Lord Ryo!"

The plan sent a prickling of alarm through Hikari as she focused on one crucial detail. "Miracles will? But we need Darkness. The Dark Ocean is only weak against that, so that means it's _made_ of Miracles."

Taichi's expression contorted slightly. "You know, it sounds weird when you say it like that out loud."

"I-it's fine!" Monodramon said. "L-Lord Zhuqiaomon planned for that as well, and said it would also work against the Dark Ocean!"

YukimiBotamon blinked before her face scrunched up in a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "Why? That doesn't make any sense."

Monodramon seemed taken aback by the question, staring at YukimiBotamon before he wilted, fidgeting anxiously. "I-I… I didn't ask… b-but he said..."

"That's pretty typical for ya."

The unmistakable drawl immediately identified the owner of the voice, causing all the Chosen to quickly look about before finding FlaWizarmon and Witchmon as they stood and hovered respectively before the firewall. Their stances were so casual, it was as if they had been there the whole time.

"You don't _ask_ Bird Brain to explain _anything_ ," FlaWizarmon said. "Not if ya wanna live long."

"Zhuqiaomon must know something we don't," Witchmon said as she pressed her fingertips together. "As usual."

"And he's hidin' it," FlaWizarmon said with a nod. "As usual."

"FlaWizarmon! Witchmon!" YukimiBotamon said, her eyes widening. "Does this mean…?"

Witchmon flashed YukimiBotamon a toothy smile. "You've got the blessing of the Digimon Kaiser on this insanely risky little mission of yours." She paused for a moment, watching the relief ripple through the Chosen before extended a finger. "Conditionally."

Miyako's gaze flattened as she braced her hands on her hips. "Of course. What're the strings attached?"

FlaWizarmon smiled, a wicked glint in his eyes. " _We're_ goin' with ya."

While the rest of the Chosen's reactions were mixed, Miyako merely blinked. "Okay. Sounds good."

FlaWizarmon mentally stumbled, his mischief lost beneath a wave of bafflement as he stared at the Chosen of Passion. "That's it?"

Miyako quirked an eyebrow. "You're not our enemies, so why should we mind? We could use all the Darkness power we can get." She paused a beat before letting out a huff of air through her nose. "It's too bad Wallace isn't here to add his Darkness to the pool too."

"I don't know, Miyako," Mimi said, brow knit with worry as she wrung her hands together. "Wallace hasn't been doing this kind of thing that long. I don't think he's ready for what we're going to find in there." She shuddered, recalling some of the descriptions Hikari gave about the Dark World, as well as remembering all too well the nightmare that had been unleashed upon them in Factory Town.

"I don't think _any_ of us are ready," Jou muttered, more to himself. When he saw Mimi glance at him, he quickly recovered and gave her a weak smile. "But Mimi's right. Wallace hasn't been a Chosen long enough to really know what it's like, or what he may have to deal with… and we don't want to scare him away."

FlaWizarmon blinked and quirked an eyebrow before he glanced to Witchmon, who gave him a shrug. He then reached up to rub the back of his head. "Riiiiiiiight. Aaaaanyway. We got orders to watch your backs and if we think yer pushing yourselves too hard, we're gonna warp your asses right out. So don't think about riskin' yer necks for some kinda heroics, 'cuz we won't let you."

Sora visibly relaxed as she gave the two Digimon a soft smile. Even after everything that happened, including the lingering resentment still aimed at Daisuke, Ken was still Ken - Kindness until the end. "Thank you. And please thank Ken for us, too."

Witchmon shared a look with FlaWizarmon before giving a slight nod. "Will do, dearie. And, Light Darling?" She turned to Hikari, her smile turning wan. "I… _we_ owe you an apology. Kaiser-kun was right. What happened wasn't your fault, but we tore into you like it was when you didn't deserve any of it."

Daisuke flinched. He could feel the undercurrent of accusation in Witchmon's words, even though she didn't so much as look in his direction. It was her cat, coiled in angles around her head, boring holes through him with its sharp eyes that told him without question that she and her partner still hated him for what he did.

What made it worse was that he knew he deserved it.

FlaWizarmon had the good grace to look sheepish as well, reaching up to pull down the brim of his hat. "We know better 'n anyone that you tried yer best… and you sacrificed a lot to stop Wormmon. We were just… frustrated. At everyone, includin' ourselves."

Hikari exhaled slowly, a knot in her chest loosening just a fraction. "It's okay-"

"It's not, dearie," Witchmon insisted before she hovered closer to Hikari and placed a large hand on the child's shoulder that completely covered it. "We hurt you because we hurt, but that doesn't excuse it. We're sorry, so very sorry."

Hikari faltered a moment, her first instinct to repeat what she had said before, but she realized Witchmon wouldn't accept that. Instead, she smiled softly at the two remorseful Digimon. "I understand. I forgive you. What happened…" She had to pause, fumbling for the right words. "What happened hurt all of us…"

Witchmon nodded, then lowered her gaze to meet YukimiBotamon's sharp eyes. "And, as much as we hated what you had to do, we owe you for doing it." Her mouth opened silently before shutting with a click of her sharp teeth, and a beat later she tried again with a strained smile. "Though… you'll have to please forgive me for not being able to thank you for it."

"I wouldn't want thanks, anyway," YukimiBotamon said in a somber rumble. "Not for… that. But I understand the sentiment, so don't worry."

Witchmon's smile relaxed just a hair and she gave Hikari's shoulder a gentle squeeze before she gave the child and her partner some space.

"Well, then," FlaWizarmon said, with cheer in his voice that felt more forced than genuine. "Shall we get this party started?"

With that, FlaWizarmon pulled out one of his giant matchsticks and gave it a twirl before slamming it directly against the firewall on the door. With a flash and boom of fireworks, the firewall burst into bits of data, revealing a grand doorway of ornately carved crystal.

FlaWizarmon quirked a smile and opened his mouth to say something before a loud bang rumbled through the area as the large doors swung open unceremoniously, revealing the resplendent crystalline interior. The Chosen Children and assembled Digimon all turned to stare at the doors, then at each other, before taking the cue to cease their conversation and venture closer towards the entrance of Crystal Tower.

Aside from decorations such as banners, carpets, or paintings, every inch of the finely adorned entryway was made of crystal, including the plants placed in large vases. The creaking of the hinges echoed off the high ceiling, drawing the Chosen's attention to the fact that there were no attendants fluttering about maintaining the halls and no Digimon to greet them at the entryway. There was nothing but empty space, despite clearly being built to hold a seemingly massive audience.

Mimi squealed at the crystalline decor, stars shining in her eyes. "Oh… my… _gosh_! This place is beautiful! Everything is made of gems!" She rushed over to the closest vase, which was full of crystal roses that reflected rainbows across their delicate looking petals. "Ohhh… I'd die to have flowers like these?" She cast a furtive glance around. "Do you think anyone would mind if I just…"

Yamato felt a trickle of sweat run down the back of his head as Mimi started snatching up roses without waiting for an answer. "I'm pretty sure someone is going to miss those if you start looting the place."

Mimi shot Yamato a contemptuous look, cheeks puffing out in a sulky pout as she put all the roses back but one, which she slipped into her hair behind her ear. Much to her surprise and delight, the crystal was somehow just as soft and silky as a real rose, which made it comfortable to wear. "Well, okay, but they won't miss just _one_ right?" She paused briefly before taking another rose and tucking it between Palmon's rainbow-dyed petals. "Make that two."

Palmon blinked as she tilted her head, turning to look in the wall to see her reflection. While she knew she shouldn't be encouraging Mimi, her partner's excitement made a very good argument - that and the way her petals made the rose look as if it too had been dipped in a rainbow. "It's so pretty…!"

Mimi giggled happily, her smile brilliant as she clapped her hands together, gushing over their reflections. "Isn't it? Isn't it? It's the perfect accessory!"

Takeru blinked, shaking off both the glittering decor and his friends' reactions to it as he glanced around, before cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hellooooo? Anyone there?"

"No. There is not."

The strange, emotionless female voice made all the Chosen Children and their partners jump. Glancing around wildly, they eventually spotted the source - a robed Digimon humanoid that slowly stepped out of the shadows in to the massive hall, her feet echoing against the crystal floors.

The newcomer was a purple-eyed angelic woman in robes of white adorned in gold trim, a large purple triangle emblazoned across her chest with two lower small golden ones on either side. Three golden spheres the size of baseballs slowly orbited about her head like a halo, but they were nowhere near as striking as the golden pointed horns that parted her wavy curtain of purple hair. While golden wings on her back gave her a grandiose aura, the occasional patch of purple scales on her pale skin and the third golden eye in the middle of her forehead made it abundantly clear she was not like the angels the children were familiar with from media.

The draconic angel came to a stop at the center of the room, dragging the train of her robes and the hint of a purple tail tip behind her. She pressed her fingers together as she regarded the children with a tilt of her head. "At least, not anymore."

"L-Lady Cassandramon!?" Monodramon squeaked, covering his mouth with his hands as his eyes flew open wide.

" _You_?!" FlaWizarmon snarled, with no small amount of venom and hostility in his voice.

Witchmon bristled as her cat arched its ghostly body as it let out a menacing hiss and growl. "You just had to show up, didn't you!?" she shouted, baring her sharp teeth in a dangerous snarl.

Taichi stared at the unusual looking Digimon that not only seemed to be an angel, but part dragon as well. He found the combination, as well as the fact that the eye on her forehead never blinked, somewhat unsettling. "Who're you?"

"I am Cassandramon," the draconic angel Digimon replied. "The avatar of Huanglongmon."

"Huanglongmon…," Jou repeated slowly before his eyes widened. "Wait! Y-you mean… the _dead_ -er…" He slapped his hand over his mouth to cut off his outburst before glancing guiltily at Cassandramon.

"Yes, the dead one," Cassandramon said without any emotion.

"Smoooooth one, Jou," Gomamon said quietly to his partner, as the Chosen of Honesty's face turned deep red.

"T-t-t-that's right!" Monodramon stammered as he flailed his arms. "S-she's the avatar of Lord Huanglongmon!" He then turned to stare at Cassandramon. "L-Lord Zhuqiaomon thought she had died in the war, as she n-never answered his summons and-"

"I do not answer summons," Cassandramon said, with an owlish stare.

Monodramon trailed off at that, gaping at Cassandramon in disbelief. "O-oh. Um…"

"How the hell did you get in there!?" FlaWizarmon demanded. "We locked the damn door - _tight_! Even you couldn't have gotten in!"

Cassandramon met the Digimon's question with only a stare.

Witchmon let out a hiss of air through her teeth that sounded surprisingly cat-like. "You were in here the whole time, hiding from us when we made our sweep of the place, weren't you?"

"I did not hide," Cassandramon said. "I simply waited where you were not."

"Oh, ho hoh, right!" Witchmon barked out with a burst of sarcastic laughter. "That oh-so _convenient_ future vision of yours told you where to 'wait' to make sure we wouldn't cross paths, didn't it?" Her teeth ground together as she flashed a vicious sneer. "Just like it told you where not to be so you could _skip out on the entire damn war_!"

FlaWizarmon grit his teeth as he let out a low growl. "Of _course_ you'd be involved in this. You just can't leave well enough alone, can you."

"I would not call the current situation 'well enough'," Cassandramon replied. "But you are entitled to your feelings."

Fury flooded FlaWizarmon and Witchmon's expressions as both looked about ready to outright attack the angel Digimon. However, at the last moment, FlaWizarmon sucked in his breath before letting it out through his clenched teeth. His face still smoldered with anger, but he placed his matchsticks on his back once more. "Bitch."

Witchmon took longer to calm, her ghostly cat growling as it practically quaked with claws and teeth bared in a barely restrained threat.

Miyako clapped her hands together loudly until she got everyone's attention, her body tense but her expression severe. " _Okay_! I hate to throw myself into this busload of baggage, but can we not lose focus on why we're here?"

"She's right," FlaWizarmon said, slowly. He glared at Cassandramon, as if he were stabbing her with his eyes. "Ryo's far more important than you could ever be."

"That, I would never dispute," Cassandramon agreed calmly, as if the two hadn't been seconds away from violence.

Witchmon let out a sharp snort of air through her teeth and floated a short distance away from the group in a desperate effort to regain her composure. FlaWizarmon quickly moved to join her, glancing over his shoulder to keep his lingering glare on the other Digimon - for all the good it did.

Takeru watched as the two stormed off before focusing on Cassandramon. He didn't fully understand the situation, but if the outburst from Witchmon was anything to go by, he had a pretty good idea what was going on. While curiosity wanted him to press for answers, logic told him that Miyako was absolutely correct - they needed to focus on Ryo, not on old grudges.

The silent tension was too much for Taichi, as he struggled for a topic change. "Um… ah, so, hey, anyway!" he blurted out a little too loudly. "What's an avatar anyway?" He turned to Koshiro, desperately pleading for help with his eyes.

"O-oh, w-well…," Koshiro said, fumbling over his words after realizing Taichi was looking his way. "An avatar can actually mean a lot of things. Usually it means a representative or representation of something or someone."

"That is correct," Cassandramon said as she laced her fingers together, as serene and calm as the surface of a still lake "I represent Huanglongmon's will in the Digital World, and am granted a portion of his power as a result."

"Why does a god need someone to represent 'em?" Taichi asked as he scratched the back of his head, slightly relieved that his gambit seemed to be paying off.

Koshiro jerked his head as he remembered something, excitement bubbling up inside him as pieces clicked together in his mind. "Oh! I get it! Jijimon told us this, remember? The DigiGods can't appear in the Digital World in physical bodies, otherwise it'll warp the code, probably because of overloading it with data, so they need someone to do it for them. That's what happened to the Battlefield Memorial when Narakumon manifested there!"

"Precisely," Cassandramon said. "Narakumon and Tenraimon also have avatars."

"Even Narakumon?" Takeru asked. "We've spoken to him several times and he never mentioned one."

"Is there a reason for that?" Patamon asked as he rested on Takeru's head.

The atmosphere quickly turned cold, and the Chosen Children's attention were immediately drawn to Witchmon and FlaWizarmon, who were gazing at Cassandramon with expressions that could have frozen open flame.

Cassandramon tilted her head to the side, all three eyes staring at Takeru. "The answer to that question… is an unhappy one."

Takeru flinched slightly under the stare, finding it to be far more unnerving than he expected. It was as if she was staring straight through him into his very soul. "Uh… actually, that kind of answers it well enough."

Hikari's heart went out to Narakumon. Not only did the Digital World view him as evil, but he lost Keiko and his representative in the Digital World. She didn't know who his avatar was, but surely he was someone close to Narakumon as well. Even still, she couldn't help but change the topic to what felt almost like a selfish question. "What about Tenraimon's avatar?"

The temperature around the area seemed to drop sharply, causing the Chosen to yet again glance over to where FlaWizarmon and Witchmon lingered. The sudden atmospheric change was so cold that it felt like it would actually begin snowing - _just_ around the two Digimon as they glared at the oblivious Cassandramon.

Cassandramon tilted her head in the opposite direction as she fixed her gaze on Hikari instead. "That answer is _also_ an unhappy one."

Hikari held YukimiBotamon closer to her chest and cringed. "Oh… Poor Narakumon and Tenraimon…"

"Zeed Millenniumon really did a lot of damage," Takeru murmured softly as he glanced to Hikari. "To the Digital World, to the Digimon… to everyone."

"Indeed," YukimiBotamon said as she flicked her ears. "But we're here to start undoing some of that damage - starting with Ryo."

"T-that's right!" Monodramon said as he turned to Cassandramon. "W-we're here for the doorway t-to the Dark World! D-do you know where it is?"

Cassandramon turned her gaze to Monodramon, staring down the purple dinosaur Digimon. He cringed under her unrelenting stare, wilting before hiding behind Hikari - as if somehow the Chosen of Light could shield him from her gaze.

"O-oh, right," Monodramon murmured. "O-of course you do."

Cassandramon blinked deliberately slow before she turned her head to stare off somewhere in the distance to her side. "The stairway to your left will take you downwards, deep in to the depths of the Digital World. There, you will find the doorway to the Dark World." She paused for a moment before turning back to face the Chosen Children. "It is a very long stairway."

V-mon glanced towards the doorway before his face twisted in a scowl. "Is that how Ken got to the Dark Ocean? He snuck in?" While Daisuke might've been holding in his feelings towards Ken after everything that had happened, he felt no such obligation. He especially didn't care when FlaWizarmon and Witchmon both shot him a glare, which he defiantly returned with equal ferocity.

"No," Cassandramon shifted her gaze to V-mon despite how he wasn't even looking at her, too busy with his tense staring contest. "The Dark Ocean calls to those of the Digital World with trauma in their hearts. He simply answered the call - by being in a state of mind that lacked the will to resist it."

V-mon's ears canted back, his face scrunched up uncomfortably as such information broke his gaze away from the duo to glare at the reflections in the crystal floor.

"That's something I didn't exactly understand," Yamato interjected. "I get that you don't have to be tainted to be called by the Dark Ocean, but why did it happen to _us_?" Though he expected Cassandramon to look his way, he still flinched slightly as her three unsettling eyes met his.

"You and the Chosen of Love know the answer to that," Cassandramon replied without emotion.

Sora felt her heart lurch in her chest and she clutched her breast on instinct; she knew _exactly_ what the angel Digimon was referring to. The contorted expression on Yamato's face told her that he had the same thought. "But… Baihumon said that our crests are strong against the Dark Ocean. So… so why?"

"Even the strongest of doors can be breached if you leave it open," Cassandramon replied. "Or if you open the door willingly to unpleasant guests that come knocking."

Yamato gawked at Cassandramon for a moment before anger and regret twisted his face unpleasantly. He knew exactly what she meant. He had been so focused on his own pain, his own feelings of trauma, that he had lowered his defenses and nearly allowed the twisted whispers to take him. It wasn't until he had found the strength to resist that he was able to shake away its influences. Wordlessly, the Chosen of Friendship glanced to Gabumon, who immediately met his gaze with one full of understanding and support.

"So I let it happen," Sora murmured, a wave of guilt hushing her voice to nearly a whisper. Her eyes fell to the floor, focusing on the glimpses she could see around her shoes of the darker reflection of herself displayed in the utterly smooth crystal. "I was weak and let them come into my heart, and twist it."

Taichi instinctively wrapped an arm around Sora and pulled her close, his heart going out to her. "Hey, come on…"

"But then you stopped!" Piyomon said enthusiastically as she hopped around Sora, attempting to catch Sora's eye. "In the end, you stopped listening and closed the door right in their faces! That's what matters!"

In spite of the twisting feeling inside her heart, Sora couldn't help but smile as the energetic bouncing of her partner drew her gaze away from her reflection. "You're right," Sora said, a soft smile playing on her lips as she leaned, just a little, against Taichi. "That's what matters."

"But wait!" Taichi blurted out abruptly as a thought struck him, eyes widening as his body went rigid. "What about Hikari, then!? They were calling to her all the time! She doesn't have any taint or trauma…" He paused before he glanced at Hikari, his face asking the silent question of if she was hiding some deep level of trauma he wasn't aware of.

"No, she does not," Cassandramon said as she steepled her fingers together. "However, she is a God Crest - and is connected to her four guardian crests. The Chosen of Kindness is one of said guardian crests." She then slowly swiveled her head about to stare at Hikari. "Have you heard the Dark Ocean's call since you purged Ken - and executed Wormmon?" she asked, though her flat tone implied that she already knew the answer.

Hikari opened her mouth to respond until the word "execution" slammed into her chest and pierced her heart, stealing away her voice and leaving her unable to do more than creak out a wordness tone.

YukimiBotamon flinched back against Hikari's chest as a single word stabbed her with guilt and twisted her mouth into a pained grimace. The way Cassandramon spoke so bluntly, almost to the point of savagery, really rubbed her the wrong way and sparked some anger towards the unusual angel. It was hard to know how much was intentional, but she couldn't deny the truth of Cassandramon's words - just the phrasing.

"Wait, are you saying it's Ken's fault Hikari had all those nightmares!?" Taichi blurted out, only to cringe at the glare his sister gave him.

"It wasn't _Ken's_ fault that he was tainted," Hikari said lowly.

"I-I know, I know," Taichi said as he held up the hand not wrapped around Sora in a warding gesture. "That's not what I meant. I meant, ah… you know, the crests thing."

Cassandramon glanced between Hikari and Taichi before lacing her fingers together again. A quiet, almost thoughtful hum rumbled from her throat, but her expression didn't change in the slightest.

Koshiro stroked his chin, letting out a hum of his own as he considered this new information. "That must be why they're called guardian crests. We're all tied to one, except Hikari. So that means if one of us is compromised, we're putting whoever has the God Crest in danger. Right?" He looked to Cassandramon eagerly.

"That is correct," Cassandramon said. "That is why the Dark Ocean is desperate to taint Light - _any_ Light. Even if it cannot touch her directly, it can still get to the Chosen of Light through the others - through Courage, Hope, Kindness, and Honor."

Taichi looked from Takeru to Iori before his gaze went distant with a frown, determination welling up inside him in the face of adversity. "Well then, we're just gonna have to try our best to keep Hikari safe, right guys?"

"Of course," Takeru said as he gave Hikari a smile that she returned.

"Agreed," Iori said with a sharp nod.

"So with _that_ out of the way, how about we get down to business?" Pafumon asked as she wiggled her ears, hovering over the group. "And by business, I mean getting Ryo away from that creeper?"

"She's right," Sora said with a nod. "We've got to focus, now more than ever."

"Right, so let's… um," Jou began before he quickly began to falter as the dread of where they were going came rushing back anew. Still, he managed to shove it down in to his stomach. "L-let's go!"

"You heard the man!" Gomamon said cheerfully, smiling up at his partner.

The Chosen Children quickly hurried to the stairs, under Cassandramon's watchful gaze. She only looked away to meet the stares of FlaWizarmon and Witchmon as they approached, their hateful eyes still upon her.

"Just so we're clear," FlaWizarmon said, venom dripping from his words. "You ain't sacrificin' anyone else, ever again. Not a single damn one."

Witchmon jabbed Cassandramon in the breastbone with a large, pointy finger. " _Especially_ not any of the _children_. If even one of them dies…" She drew her finger in a line across her neck as her mouth stretched out into ugly rows of razor sharp teeth. "Death will be the _least_ of your worries."

If Cassandramon was fazed at all by the obvious threat, her serene face didn't show it. She offered no reaction as she watched the two Digimon move to follow the Chosen Children and their partners, disappearing into the stairwell that lead them in to the depths.

After a moment, she finally tilted her head to the side as she blinked all but her third eye.

"That will depend on you," Cassandramon said.

* * *

Going to the Dark World in her dreams was always nerve-racking for Hikari. It was a place that haunted her, calling to her desperately. It was a place so tainted and wrong that even the thin comfort of knowing she wasn't really there was barely enough to keep her nerves in check.

She had no such luxury now.

All of the assembled Chosen Children gawked about their surroundings as they stood just outside the massive silver door at the base of the tower. When they had been instructed to head downward, following the steps not only back to the bottom floor but then continue _beyond_ it, none of them had known what to expect. As a result, none were prepared for how long they had to traverse down spiralling steps that took them seemingly down in to the depths of the earth itself, only for it to open to a massive world with dark, sunless skies and gray tinted scenery.

And, more importantly, a massive black ocean that beckoned them towards its deadly maw like a coiled snake.

The moment they crossed the threshold into the Dark World child and Digimon somehow knew the direction of the Dark Ocean. It was something deeply instinctual, setting their nerves on edge and warning them of a danger they couldn't see. Then, there was the sound. The Dark World lacked the usual background noises, such as the clatter of the urban city the children came from, or the rustle of wind punctuated by the call of some form of digital life that was present in most every other part of the Digital World. However, that didn't mean that the Dark World was silent.

Though indistinct, the sound of countless whispers and waves haunted the Chosen just at the edge of their hearing.

A shiver ran up Mimi's spine and sent her latching onto the arm of the nearest person, which happened to be Jou - much to his surprise - as a tremble ran through her body. The only noise she could manage was a tiny eeking of fear from her throat.

Jou was in a state of fear himself, though he quickly broken from it by the grab and reached up to grasp her hand. "I-it's okay, I… we've got you. We're all in this together…!" He only hoped she didn't notice how badly his own hand was shaking.

"This is…" Yamato muttered as he stared about, Gabumon standing close by.

"Creepy as _fuck_ ," Taichi said, eyes fixed on the not too distant shore. He could feel his insides tense like a coiled spring as his instincts readied him to move at a moment's notice should something emerge from the water. He scarcely noticed that he wasn't the only one watching the ocean.

"Welcome to the Dark World," YukimiBotamon said with a flick of her ears.

"Welcome indeed!" FlaWizarmon said, with a grim smile.

Takeru swallowed thickly, his mouth gone dry. "Yeah," he said before swallowing again. "I remember this place." He half expected to appear directly beside the shore of the Dark Ocean, just like the last time he came to the Dark World. It should have been a relief that there was solid ground beneath his feet instead of sand, but he wasn't.

"It… certainly lives up to its name," Iori said as he scrutinized his surroundings, with no small amount of unease. He tried not to focus too much on the ocean itself, knowing that danger could come from any direction, but he couldn't help but keep jerking his gaze back to the shore whenever he caught movement from the waves out of the corner of his eye.

Monodramon glanced about anxiously as he stood behind the Chosen Children, wringing his claws together as he shifted from foot to foot. "I-it's, ah… n-not what I was expecting…"

"Dark, dank, and dreary," Pafumon said as she sat on Miyako's head. "No wonder everyone's dying to get out of here!"

Miyako was only partially successful in stifling her laughter behind her hand in an inelegant snort in spite of their surroundings, grateful for her partner's distracting use of levity. "That pun was baaaaaad."

Pafumon puffed up with pride upon hearing Miyako's giggle. "Absolutely!"

Unfortunately, the joking could only do so much to lighten the tension, as the very air of the Dark World sent an unnerving chill deep down into their bones. What should have been simply a monochrome version of a tranquil beach became a horrifying mockery. Instead of gentle blue waves lapping the shore, the black water surged forward to grope at the gray sand with countless foam fingers, gripping for purchase and clawing forward, only to be dragged back as the Dark Ocean retreated, but never for very long. It was an endless unnerving cycle.

The Dark Ocean was a commanding force, one hard to look away from, as some primal instinct buried in the children and at the forefront of the Digimon demanded that they pay attention to it and never waver. That was why it took them longer to take in the rest of their surroundings. Rather than standing on sand or dirt, beneath their feet lay a path made of silvery marble that led to the ocean, deteriorating along the sand until only small bits and pieces of ruins were left jutting from the waters that broke them down a little more at a time each time the waves clawed at the shore.

The doorway they passed through looked different on this side of it, appearing more as a delicate archway made from the same silver marble, carved with embellishments reminiscent of ancient Greek temples. There was no building on the other side of the archway, but a marble pathway lined with pillars led towards a grand temple that Hikari and YukimiBotamon immediately recognized.

With terrible certainty, Hikari realized that she wasn't far from where Nyamon had taken her the night she and Tailmon met Keiko. Not only did the memory of what she had learned at that time fill her with dread, but the knowledge that, back then, the Dark Ocean had been nowhere in sight.

"The Dark Ocean is getting bigger," YukimiBotamon said gravely, ears twitching as she glared towards the blackened waves, catching the sound of countless whispers and distant screams. She could feel innumerable eyes gazing at them with envy and a terrible hunger that set her completely on edge.

Taichi frowned and stepped closer to Hikari, knowing with cold certainty from the dread burrowing its way down to his bones that he was just as vulnerable as his sister in this place. "Which means we should get going, and stay _away_ from that ocean."

"Right," Yamato said before he turned to stare at Takeru. "Which _also_ means that all the Light Chosen should suit up _now_ rather than after the temple."

Takeru felt a twinge of irritation at Yamato singling up out but decided to ignore it. His brother had a point, after all. "Right." Pulling out his Digivice, the Chosen of Hope turned to his partner. "You ready, Patamon?"

"Ready!" Patamon said, brightly. He began to glow as his partner lifted his Digivice, and within seconds, the small child Digimon was engulfed with the light from the Digimental of Pride and was replaced with the draconic form of DeviDramon.

"I admit, I don't think I'll ever get used to this," Takeru said as he looked up at his partner.

"You and me both," DeviDramon said as he looked himself over.

"You next, Hikari," Taichi said as he turned to his sister expectantly.

Hikari nodded before she grabbed her own Digivice. "Ready, YukiBotamon?"

"Of course," the small Digimon said before she hopped out of her partner's arms to the ground. As the Digimental of Darkness flowed from her partner's device to her own body, the small baby Digimon evolved. Within seconds, Tailmon was back to her rightful size - though with midnight fur, as Black Tailmon.

"Well, it's good to have arms again," Black Tailmon said as she stretched. "And legs."

Hikari bent down to hug Black Tailmon close. "It's good to see you almost back to normal."

"Shall we… go as well, Kyokyomon?" Iori asked hesitantly as he lifted his own Digivice.

"Yes, I-o-ri!" Kyokyomon said, with great enthusiasm as he squirmed in his partner's arms before he leapt down to his partner's feet. "I'll protect you!"

Iori grimaced before he pointed his Digivice directly at his partner, with a stiff and trembling hand. He aimed it as if it were a remote control aimed at a television set, for all the lack of practice he had with his partner.

Regardless of the awkward pose, Kyokyomon evolved nevertheless and was soon replaced with a small yellow armadillo-like Digimon with tri-pointed ears and a dragon tail that proudly declared himself to be Armadimon.

"Aww, how cute~!" Mimi squealed in spite of the terrible surroundings.

"It… it worked," Iori said, blinking.

"Beast plus dragon equals armadillo," Miyako said as she adjusted her glasses. "Got it."

Taichi blinked at Armadimon before looking at Yamato with a crooked smile. "Honestly? I never expected your Digimental to make such a cute evolution."

Yamato barked out a laugh before giving Taichi a wry grin. "Hey, what are you trying to say?"

Taichi playfully nudged Yamato in the ribs. " _Some_ body has a cute side."

"I wonder if _somebody else_ has one too," Sora chirped as she stepped up beside her boyfriend, a bright smile on her face.

Taichi couldn't help but blush and cleared his throat as he looked away from the implication.

"I can't wait to see what cute evolution your Digimental has for me, Miyako!" Mimi said with a little _too_ much enthusiasm, trying to lose herself in the excitement of a new evolution and _not_ in their creepy surroundings.

As the light of evolution washed over Palmon, Miyako glanced up at Pafumon. "Sorry you couldn't be first to use your Digimental after all, Pafumon."

Though rumpled, Pafumon fluttered her fur primly as she settled atop Miyako's head. "It doesn't matter. As Armadimon said a while back, Digimentals are no substitute for the real thing. So I've decided to be generous, so everyone be grateful!"

Miyako smiled gently at that. "I'm sure they are. I know I am."

The transformation Palmon took was a far cry from any other she had undergone. Although she was still humanoid, Algomon was anything but adorable or voluptuous , with a muscular lightly purple body. The armor covering her black bodysuit was shades of dark purple framed by green that looked like eyes, complete with golden circles for the pupils. A mantle of green fronds covered her shoulders with countless fine feathery leaves and long green vines with wicked ends shifted around behind her.

Of all the new evolutions they discovered so far that day, all the Chosen could agree that Algomon's was the most intimidating.

Mimi gawked at the change in her partner. She had expected something cute, even sexy, but the Digimon in front of her was, to put it simply, _terrifying_. "Algo...mon? How… how do you feel?"

"I feel fine Mimi," Algomon said, her dark voice somehow cheerful. When her shaded eyes caught sight of her partner, she frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Mimi jerked and flailed her arms in front of her for a moment, panicked at the very thought of upsetting Algomon over something that was out of their control. "N-no, no! It's just…" She faltered for a moment before finally pouting. "I was expecting Passion evolutions to be _cute_ , not… not…" She fumbled over a good description before gesturing at Algomon. " _Intimidating_! You look like you could smash a city apart with one hand!"

"I feel like I could, actually," Algomon admitted, to which Mimi puffed out her cheeks.

Miyako smirked at Mimi's pouting, folding her arms over her chest. "Sorry, Mimi, but that's just how I roll. I don't 'do' cute."

Iori suddenly cleared his throat, lifting his fist to his mouth to 'politely' cover it up.

Miyako shot Iori a look. "Hush, you."

"It's fine, it's fine!" Mimi finally declared, throwing her arms up. "It's better for Algomon to scare the monsters away anyway, so it's better this way."

Algomon smiled, relieved. "I won't let you down, Mimi."

"It's _your_ turn now," Sora said as she tapped Taichi's shoulder, still smiling.

"Oh, yeah, right!" Taichi blurted out as he held up his Digivice. "L-let's see what Love can do for us." He paused, his cheeks darkening. "I-I-I mean the crest! Love crest! Crest for Love! That's what I meant!"

Agumon put a claw to his face and shook his head, embarrassed for his partner. "Taiiichiii…"

"D-Digimental up!" Taichi shouted as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get his head back in the game and far, far away from his public humiliation.

Agumon evolved quickly, transforming in to Lavorvomon - a flying dinosaur hybrid that seemed to have crawled straight out of a volcano, armor-like scales made of cooling black lava resting on top of skin glowing like liquid magma.

Taichi outright gawked at the new evolution before him, his mouth hanging open in a small 'o' of wonder. "Oh… _wow_! That's so cool! You look great, Lavorvomon!"

Lavorvomon grinned down at his partner, toothily.

"Huh," Yamato said slowly before he took his own turn to nudge Taichi in the ribs, smirking. "Looks like _someone's_ burning up with all his love."

Taichi nodded absently until what Yamato said penetrated his awe-struck mind and he sputtered, red faced again as he swatted the other boy's shoulder. "Sh-shut up!"

"While this has been all adorable an' everythin'," FlaWizarmon said as he crossed his arms. "We should reaaally think about gettin' to the temple now. The Dark Ocean's lookin' kinda hungry, even with its tasty snacks all wrapped in gross Darkness."

"Ah, right," Taichi said as he looked away, scratching his cheek as he continued to blush. "Let's get moving - _now_."

The assembled Chosen let out a murmur of agreement before they shifted their focus to the temple in the distance. The solemn atmosphere hung over them like a funeral procession despite their efforts to maintain morale. Despite this, the human children and their partners soldiered on, following the apparent pathway to the distant structure in this unnerving monochrome world.

The pathway to the temple proper was far more treacherous than it had been when Hikari and Black Tailmon had traveled it in her dreams. While Hikari tried to dismiss the difference as just being a matter of reality versus illusion, Black Tailmon knew far better than to give in to such naive thinking.

"The ocean is a lot bolder than it was last time," she said as she looked over her shoulder towards the black water. Even though they were walking away from the shoreline, it was still close enough to set her hackles on edge. She immediately thought of Baihumon's request, which did little to comfort her. " _Did_ something happen?" She hesitated a moment to consider the possibility before a thought struck her. "Is it related to why Narakumon hasn't said anything since…?"

Hikari held herself close, shivering as months of nightmares came back like a chill of fear running up her spine. Even as they neared the temple, she could swear she could still hear the ocean and the voices within. It distracted her to the point that her answer to her partner came after a pregnant pause. "I hope not."

Taichi frowned and wrapped his arm around his sister's shoulder, ignoring her startled yelp as he pulled her in close. "Let's stick close together then, just in case. Right, Lavorvomon?"

"You got it!" Lavorvomon agreed.

"We'll just have to be careful," Gabumon said, glancing up at Yamato as the Chosen of Friendship nodded his agreement.

Iori watched as the other Chosen glanced about anxiously as they passed a row of ornate pillars marking the border to the temple grounds, with him keeping up the rear. This area was neatly kept with a garden and the occasional statue angels and moons. It would have been lovely if not for the lack of color and the background of whispers and waves that just would not quiet down no matter how far they left the Dark Ocean behind them.

He furrowed his brow before glancing down at Armadimon, who followed beside him. While part of him wanted to voice the thought that perhaps the Light children should have stayed behind after all, he couldn't bring himself to do it. It was far too late for such thinking.

Besides, it was admitting that there was yet _another_ weakness he couldn't overcome.

Iori sighed as he closed his eyes. "Useless..."

Armadimon looked up at his partner, blinking. "I-o-ri-?"

" _Iori! Get the hell out of the way!"_

The man's shout startled Iori out of his thoughts, stopping him dead in his tracks. It was a voice he hadn't heard in years, chilling him to his very core. Shakily, he slowly turned to find himself staring down the muzzle of a gun aimed directly at his face, held by none other than his father - a man with neatly trimmed brown hair and a fierce glint in his brown eyes.

"D-Dad…?" Iori whispered, his chest constricting as if the air had been knocked right out of him.

The man - Hiroki - was in full police uniform, his gun trained on his son with an expression of fury. "Iori!"

"Back off or the brat dies," the thug sneered as he stepped back, pulling Iori with him.

In an instant, Iori was a small child again, standing in the police station with Armadimon nowhere to be seen. A thug stood behind him, one arm wrapped around his throat while the other held a gun stolen from another officer. The muzzle of the gun was pressed against Iori's temple, a silent threat that still managed to speak volumes. The thug sneered past Iori's shoulder at his father as he tightened his arm around the boy's neck, choking him.

Iori gagged as he reached up to grasp at the thug's arm, trembling as tears appeared in his eyes. A terror that had haunted him every night for years flooded him all over again, like a healing wound bleeding free once the scab was torn off. He had repeated this moment in his mind so many times that it was burned into his memory.

"Damn it, Iori!" Hiroki snarled. "You useless, weak boy! How could you let this happen!?"

"I… I'm sorry," Iori choked out as he trembled, nausea churning his stomach. "I-I'm so s-sorry-"

Before Iori could even finish his apology, the thug shifted the muzzle of the gun away from his head to aim at his father. Iori felt a hot spike of terror just before the sound of gunfire silenced his scream, and Hiroki collapsed to the ground with a spray of blood.

The thug's arm disappeared from around Iori's neck as he rushed towards his collapsed father, reaching out to grasp his father's arm as he dropped to his knees. "Dad!?"

"You… you stupid brat…," Hiroki choked out as blood leaked from his mouth. He glared up at his son with a hatred that chilled Iori to the bone. "This is all your fault… if you hadn't been so weak…! You… _killed_ me…!"

Iori trembled as he stared down at his father, the accusation stabbing him through the heart, far more painful than anything he had ever felt before. "I-I…!"

"Is that really what happened?"

Iori gave a start and looked up sharply, surprised to find himself back to his true age as he found himself staring at a pale girl he didn't recognize, wearing a hauntingly familiar black dress tainted by a long thin streak of light. The Chosen of Darkness looked down at him, her expression grim.

Iori furrowed his brow, tears still streaming from his cheeks. "What…?"

"Is this _really_ what happened?" Keiko repeated. "Is _this_ what you actually remember?"

"I…," Iori fumbled for words before he furrowed his brow. "I don't…"

Keiko turned her head to look past Iori, prompting the Chosen of Honor's gaze to follow. As his eyes were drawn to the side where the scene replayed once again, only this time he was a bystander. The thug was holding the young Iori at gunpoint as his father confronted them, though Hiroki's gun was aimed at the thug rather than his own son.

"Alright, just stay calm," Hiroki said slowly, trying to keep his voice even. "No one has to get hurt."

"Fuck you!" the thug snarled, venom dripping from every syllable.

"D-daddy…!" Iori whimpered, practically choking on his tears - and the thug's arm as it held him by the neck.

"It's okay, Iori," Hiroki said, his eyes never leaving the thug's face. "It'll be okay."

"Big words, pig!" the thug snarled as he jerked his arm, jostling Iori unnecessarily and briefly cutting off the child's air. "It ain't gonna be okay unless I _say_ it's gonna be!"

"Just let him go," Hiroki said. "He has nothing to do with this. Your beef is with _me_ , so-"

"Damn right it is," the thug said.

It all happened in a second. The gun left Iori's temple and a gunshot temporarily deafened his right ear, making his scream distant, as though it had come from someplace else, as he watched Hiroki reel back, blood blooming from his father's chest chest like roses that scattered their petals to the winds and fell along with him.

Iori could see the moment both as an observer and in his mind's eye as he relieved that terrible moment once again. Though he as the observer stood rigidly in place, his child self lunged towards his fallen father, breaking free from the thug's grip while the murderer was distracted, just as a second shot rang out, followed by several more. The thug barely had the opportunity to howl in pain before he was silenced forever by Iori's mother, Fumiko, who glared at the monster she had killed through her tears over the barrel of her gun.

"It wasn't your fault," Keiko said as she watched the scene, then turned to the trembling young man at her side as the scene around them faded away into darkness. "There was nothing you could do, and he never blamed you for it."

"If… if I had been stronger, I… I could have-!" Iori hissed as he clutched at the front of his shirt, digging his nails into the fabric. "I could have done _something_ -!"

"You were a little boy," Keiko said lowly. "What exactly do you think you could have done?"

"I…" Iori couldn't answer. It was a question he had asked himself so many times, and yet he could never come up with anything. No matter how many times he replayed the scene, it was always the same. "I could have…"

"If you had fought back, he would have shot you," Keiko said, her expression flattening.

"Better that than him killing my father!" Iori snarled as he twisted the fabric of his shirt. "At least then, I…!"

"Would be dead," Keiko finished for him in a voice as unyielding as stone.

Iori closed his eyes, attempting to block out the scene in front of him even as he replayed it in his mind.

"Then you'd be torturing yourself with guilt from _this_ side," Keiko said, her red eyes piercing Iori like a blazing fire as she loomed over him, hovering several centimeters above the ground as her black hair whipped about in a phantom breeze. "You'd be watching your mother and father and everyone else you love agonize over your death, suffering from endless nightmares and regrets. You'll want to talk to them and reassure them that it's better you than them, but you can't. All you can do is watch them cry and blame themselves for failing you and tell themselves that _you_ think they deserve to go to hell as much as they believe they deserve it!"

Iori flinched at Keiko's words, crumpling a little further as she went until he was on his knees, head bowed by the end of her speech. When all was quiet again, he opened his eyes, casting his gaze down at the ground before him. His father's corpse stared back up at him, glaring at him with eyes that never belonged to Hiroki, before it dissolved into data and drifted upwards, disappearing into the darkness.

"It's hell," Keiko said as she drifted back to the ground, her voice quieting to something that was almost gentle. "It's hell when you play a part in the death of someone important to you. It's hell when _you're_ dead and the people you love wish it was them instead." She reached out a placed her hand atop his shoulder, and he flinched at the cold he felt there. "I've been on both sides. There was no 'better' outcome if they all end in someone _dead_."

Iori remained quiet for several moments before he released his grip on his shirt, allowing his hands to fall down to his lap limply. "I don't… want to lose anyone… not again…"

"Then stop pushing them away," Keiko said, "and don't lose yourself. Start by letting them help you for once."

Iori blinked at that before he looked up at Keiko. "What?"

The answer to his question didn't come from Keiko, who suddenly vanished along with the dark void. Instead, it came from the vision of black water, grasping hands, and gray sand as familiar shouts pierced the air, screaming his name.

A white ferret Digimon Iori didn't recognize dashed around him, adorned with a gold ring around her neck and golden markings on her back similar to computer circuitry. She lunged at his lower half with a battle cry, and he saw, to his horror, that his legs were held captive by dozens of deformed black hands that were clawing their way up his body. The second the Digimon reached them, however, the hands let out an unholy shriek as everywhere the ferret tore and bit bubbled and dissolved, evaporating into wisps of unsettling greasy black smoke.

Iori's head swam as he reeled in confusion and fear, realizing that he wasn't standing, but lying prone in a trench of sand that had been dug from his body being dragged dangerously close to the Dark Ocean. "What-?"

"Iori!" Miyako's voice screamed by Iori's ear, prompting the Chosen of Honor to jerk and whip his head about just in time to see her seize him around the chest, trying to drag him away from the Dark Ocean - or at least anchor him so that he wasn't pulled into its depths. "Iori! _Snap out of it already_!"

Iori could only manage an unintelligent noise of confusion, as everything played out around him out of his control like a bad dream.

"Get back!" the floating ferret Digimon, Kudamon, snapped as she dove at the grabbing hands, tearing many apart and forcing others to retreat back into the ocean with ghastly, inhuman wails of pain. "Yeah, that's right! You _better_!"

"You will stay away from I-o-ri!" Armadimon snarled as he rushed at the Dark Ocean and attacked at its grasping fingers. Though he was successful in forcing the hands back, they did not retreat or cry out as loudly as they did to Kudamon's attacks. "Or I will _punish_ you!"

"Back off!" FlaWizarmon snarled as he swirled his matchsticks burning with black flames at the water, which drew back reluctantly. You opportunistic _basta-_!"

A sudden shrill scream of a chorus of countless voices filled with fear cut him off before he finished his insult. Stilling his matchsticks mid-swing, he stared, dumbfounded, as the water retreated. "What?!"

The ephemeral form of Nyamon ran across the shore in front of FlaWizarmon to join Kudamon and Armadimon, the hands immediately recoiling as she drew close. The cat Digimon glared at the Dark Ocean as she crouched in front of Iori, forcing the damned souls to retreat.

"What… what happened?" Iori asked shakily, his voice distant as though waking up from a deep slumber. In the unsettling calm that followed, he saw his comrades, the rest of the Chosen, plus Witchmon rushing to gather around him. Fumbling, he grabbed onto Miyako, leaning against her and gathering his bearings as she brought him back to his feet.

Keiko faded into existence at Iori's side, her expression severe on her translucent face. "The Dark Ocean called you, and you answered."

Iori stared at Keiko, slowly trying to process what she had said. Visions of what he had just seen flickered through his mind, causing pain to spike in his heart before he furrowed his brow. "So that was… the Dark Ocean?"

Armadimon hurried over to his partner's side. "The Dark Ocean suddenly lunged close and grabbed you by your legs. I tried to stop it from dragging you into the waters but I couldn't do it myself, and Miyako came to help me!" The excitement bled from his rushed explanation as his body drooped, a his face falling and his voice quieting in shame. "I-o-ri, I… I promise I'll get stronger, so I can protect you better myself!"

Iori stared at Armadimon. The words his partner spoke created a new stab in his heart, as they mirrored his own words he spoke to himself endlessly.

"Don't you dare blame Armadimon!" Kudamon said as she puffed up, crossing her arms indignantly.

"N-no, never," Iori said softly as he reached down to touch his partner's cheeks, falling to his knees as he drew closer even as Miyako kept a firm hold on him. "It's okay to need help, Armadimon." He reached out and picked up Armadimon, closing his eyes as he pressed his forehead against his partner's forehead, prompting Armadimon to close his own eyes in return. "You're much braver than I, because you are willing to _ask_. That's something I need to… get better at. I need to… _fix_." The Chosen of Honor opened his eyes to offer his partner a weak smile before he turned to share it with Miyako. "I can't… fix all my weaknesses, but that one… _that_ one is within my power."

Miyako lightly cuffed Iori in the shoulder. "Good." After reaffirming her hold on him, she tugged her friend back onto his feet. "Now don't you dare scare me like that again, you hear me? I almost had a heart attack!"

"It all happened pretty fast," Takeru said as he slowly approached, mindful of the shore. "Out of nowhere, Armadimon was screaming for help, then Miyako dove in… and suddenly Pafumon evolved _twice_ and started diving at the water."

"Is… is that so?" Iori said as he looked up at Kudamon before he turned to Armadimon.

Miyako seized Iori in a hug. She half-formed some wry retort in her head, but she couldn't quite get it to come out as casually and cocky as she wanted it to, leaving her without comment as she held her best friend close with a small shiver running through her as the last few minutes began to settle in. A shuddering breath escaped her and after a final squeeze, she straightened up. "Let's go inside and as far away from the ocean as we can. _Now_."

Iori gave a small nod. "I agree."

Nyamon watched Iori and Miyako have their moment as she placed her gauntlets on her hips. A glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye had her glance at where the children gathered at a slight, but respectful distance. Unfortunately, that served as a distraction that invited the ocean to creep up from behind, creeping ever closer to where Hikari stood pressed behind Taichi's back. "Hikari!"

Hikari didn't need to look. She could feel its presence behind her. Since they stepped into the Dark World, she could feel the Dark Ocean creeping towards her, even if she couldn't see it. It was more oppressive than her dreams, the tension mounting from its presence the longer she remained there. Seeing it take Iori, even if only briefly, left her shaking, breathing fast and shallow until she was left lightheaded.

Which meant the moment that she heard Nyamon shout her name with such panic, the tension in her snapped. "Run!" she screamed as she fled blindly stumbling only because she caught Taichi and Sora off-guard by her desperate attempts grab them, the closest people to her, drag them along out of danger.

Yamato managed to react quickly, racing past Hikari to get between his friends and the creeping limbs and faces that crawled towards them at an alarming pace. Heart hammering in his chest, he braced himself for the Dark Ocean to strike him with its full horrific fury.

However, Gabumon moved faster still, making sure that whatever was coming for Yamato would have to take him down first.

The waters crested before they would have struck Gabumon or Yamato, the limbs and mouths contorting with a wail of resent and spite. Faces without eyes glared at the pair as they stood ready for battle before creeping slowly, reluctantly, back towards the Dark Ocean.

Gabumon furrowed his brow, confusion warring with the creeping chill he felt when the damned souls came close. "It… really is afraid of us."

"It's afraid of _Darkness_ ," Nyamon said as she gave a snap of her tail.

Hikari slowed down when the danger seemed to pass. Panting, she turned to Taichi and Sora, an apology on her lips, only for cold hands to press into her back and turn her breathless words into a startled yelp.

"We'll talk in the temple!" Keiko shouted as she forced Hikari to keep moving forward with what little pressure her ghostly form could force on a member of the living. "You're not safe here! Move! Move! _Move!_ "

Hikari shivered from both Keiko's warning and the bone-chilling cold of the spirit's hands sunken into her back, but obeyed without hesitation.

No one wanted to argue, all eager to escape the looming threat. They kept looking back towards the Dark Ocean as it dragged itself on twisted limbs further and further along the sand. Hikari, especially, had trouble not looking back, but every time she did, Keiko's intense red eyes met hers and silently forced her to face forward again.

The trip to the temple passed in a blur for the Chosen. They barely had time to notice the details of the outer courtyard before they found themselves in a large entryway. The inside of the temple was far more grandiose than the outside, but the children could scarcely appreciate it underneath the lingering dread, while the Chosen Digimon prickled with paranoia and tension as they stuck close to their respective partners.

For a long moment, there was only the sound of heavy breathing and the echoes of the massive doors slamming shut behind them.

Only in the relative safety of the temple did Miyako finally release Iori from her ironclad grasp, searching his body and tugging at his clothing to expose skin without reservation. "Okay, where's the taint. That shit touched you, so there's got to be taint!"

Iori blinked as he watched Miyako frisk him without comment, checking his body for discoloration.

"You got to it quickly enough," Nyamon said as she came to stand beside Miyako. "I'm sure you were too busy to notice, but Kudamon was burning it away at the same time she was attacking the Dark Ocean. It didn't have time to settle."

Miyako only stopped her inspection when she had searched as many places on Iori's person that she could without outright stripping him. She gazed at Nyamon and only after she was satisfied in what she saw in the feline's expression did she finally wilt against Iori. "Oh thank God. I _really_ didn't want to see what that crap inside your head would do to you."

"Nor I," Iori said, softly. "Not after seeing what it's capable of, I have no desire to repeat... that."

"The longer a person is tainted, the harder it is on them to burn it away," Keiko said in a somber tone as she approached Takeru, not quite meeting his gaze. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry I didn't notice _yours_ when I first saw you. I didn't realize Ken-chan would use pieces of the Dark Ocean like that… If I did, I would've cured you myself before I sent you away."

Takeru blinked before he offered Keiko a reassuring smile. "It's fine. There really wasn't any way for you to know, and you obviously had to get me out of there quickly. I'm only now realizing just how much danger I was in at that moment, so I'm really grateful for what you did." His smile became wry, somewhat teasing. "Even if it meant slapping some sense into me."

Keiko gave a faintly crooked smile in return, but there was little humor in it. "I wasn't just trying to snap you out of its call. I had to throw all of my strength into pushing you out of the Dark World, or I couldn't affect you at all." She demonstrated by brushing her hand against - then briefly into - Takeru's cheek, leaving only an impression of immense cold before she pulled away to gave a helpless shrug. "Being dead gives me a lot of new metaphysical abilities, but it's incredibly hard to do anything _physical_."

"That… makes sense," Takeru said, furrowing his brow as he tried not to shiver from the touch. Keiko had to overcome her incorporeal form, so focusing all her efforts on her hand was the only solution. The fact that it even worked at all was something to be grateful for.

"Is that why our D-Terminals crash when you email us?" Koshiro asked, more than eager to get his mind off the Dark Ocean. In spite of this, his eyes kept lingering to the temple door, half-expecting to see dark hands clawing their way inside at any moment.

Again, Keiko shrugged, unfazed by Koshiro's inattention. "I can't type a normal email, so the best I can do is use Darkness to write a message and try to trigger programs on your D-Terminals so you can read them. It's… harder than it looks to send those emails." She paused, her narrow gaze shifting to Hikari as her anger frayed away the edges of her composure. "Especially to you. What the _hell_ were you thinking coming here?"

The attention finally snapped Hikari back to the present as she met Keiko's furious gaze. Though their reunion hadn't gone as well as she had hoped, she hadn't expected the ghost girl to snap at her. "Ke-"

Miyako instantly rounded on Keiko, eyes blazing. "Okay, since you've got the answers, I've got a question - how the _hell_ could the Dark Ocean grab Iori like that? He was supposed to be safe! He had a Darkness armor on him!" She jabbed a pointing finger toward Armadimon.

Keiko paused, cheek twitching, before she shifted her gaze reluctantly from Hikari to acknowledge Miyako and her important question. "The Dark Ocean called and Iori answered."

"I heard that, but that doesn't answer my damn question!" Miyako snapped, frustrated by the vague wording. "Are we safe here or aren't we!?

" _You_ are," Keiko said, meeting Miyako's gaze cooly. "Unless you give in to self-loathing and think you deserve to disappear. Then, not all the Darkness in the world will protect you from the Dark Ocean. Doubting yourself, _hating_ yourself gives it strength, because, at the end of the day, that's what it is. It's a festering ball of hate towards the fact that we still exist."

Iori grimaced and looked away, fidgeting. He couldn't meet Miyako's gaze when she turned to stare at him, his expression alone confirming the pressing question on her lips before it was even asked. He at least had the courage not to verbally offer any sort of denial, even if he couldn't answer.

Miyako curled her fingers into tight balls, fists shaking as her body went rigid. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing down her emotions as best she could to keep a level head. "Okay." She flexed her hands, ignoring the line of pain drawn across her palms by the pressure of her fingernails. "Okay… you're going back to the tower, Iori. Anyone else who doubts themselves should too."

While pride demanded he refuse Miyako's order, the fear, the anguish Iori suffered from the vision the Dark Ocean inflicted on him made him nod in agreement. "I… I think that would be best." He had to force each word out of his mouth, as they turned to bile on his tongue.

Taichi looked over at Hikari, but he already knew how things would play out if he spoke his fears. "I'm still going." He took his sister's hand in his then Sora's in the other and squeezed them both. "I'm not going to let the Dark Ocean in."

"No, just tempt the hell out of it," Keiko snarled, her anger resurging like a kettle boiling over, but her angry gaze was focused on Hikari rather than Taichi. "Do you have _any_ idea how much danger you're in?" She threw her arm out in a broad sweeping gesture. "How much _they're_ in!?"

Hikari cringed back from the shouting, but held her ground. "I… I do. _We_ do. We came knowing-"

" _You don't know anything!_ " Keiko shrieked as she threw her arms up into the air before thrusting a pointed finger at Hikari's face. "You're the one the Dark Ocean wants! If it eats you, _the worlds die_!"

The statement rang out like a gunshot, shocking the Chosen and bringing their focus solidly on their dead comrade. Hikari in particular went completely rigid, her eyes flying open wide as her pupils shank to pinpricks. "What?" she barely squeaked out.

"That's why Iori was attacked," Nyamon said, a stern scowl on her face. "Because of you. Because it wanted to _get_ to you."

Black Tailmon frowned. "We understand that it's trying to manipulate her, but if we just-"

"The Dark Ocean started coming in the second you came here," Keiko said, completely ignoring Black Tailmon's protest as she began pacing in front of Hikari. "The entire reason the Dark Ocean tainted Ken-chan and Takeru was to get to _you_. The nightmares it sent through their connection to you were to lure you into listening to its call and coming here so it can eat you! If it has you, it has a direct access to the source of Light for the entire Digital World, plus a connection to the human world, and it can do what Zeed did and turn that power into its own! Once that happens, it'll flood both worlds and eat _everyone_!"

"You are basically gambling with the lives of _billions_ of people," Nyamon said. "Humans, Digimon, _everyone…_ just by being here."

Hikari couldn't speak, too aghast to even utter a single syllable. She had nothing to retort to this new horrifying revelation; Keiko knew far more about the nature of the Dark Ocean than she did.

Even Black Tailmon could do little more than stare, her ears canting back as the full weight of their actions slowly settled in with the grace of a falling concrete block.

"Are… are you serious?" Taichi eventually managed to croak out, reminding Hikari that it wasn't just her who had been shaken by the revelation. Her brother and all of their friends stood just as pale and horrified by the idea that they had come so close to the end of the world. Worse, they would have played an unintentional part of it.

Keiko nodded, her eyes never leaving Hikari. "As serious as my death."

Hikari flinched back as though struck, the pain piercing her heart bringing stinging tears to the corners of her eyes. "I… I'm sorry. I… I didn't know…!"

"We've got to get Hikari out of here right now before the Dark Ocean gets in here too," Taichi interrupted as he seized his little sister by the arm. "How can we get back to the door?"

Keiko sucked in a breath, or rather pantomimed the act, as she visibly forced herself to reign in her emotions. "Right now, we're safe," she said after a pause, her words measured. "The Dark Ocean _cannot_ get into this temple. Even if it consumed the rest of the Dark World, the temple itself and everything inside would remain."

"The outside of the temple on the other hand…" Nyamon gestured towards the nearest window.

The children immediately started to gather around the tall thin windows lining the walls near the door to look outside, only to see an entire ocean of gray water as far as the eye could see lapping at the glass. There were no ornate pillars, no hint of the doorway leading to Crystal Tower; there was nothing below the gray sky but water and waves.

"Wait," Takeru murmured as he hurried to the window. "Are we underwater-!?"

"The Dark Ocean has us surrounded," Nyamon said. "Forcing you to confront it if you want to leave. It's being _extremely_ brazen, as this is the only opportunity it has with Narakumon unable to intervene."

"You just noticed, huh?" FlaWizarmon asked as he leaned against a pillar, his arms crossed. "The Dark Ocean came rushin' the second we entered the temple."

"Don't worry, dearies," Witchmon said, though the slight quiver in her voice was the furthest thing from reassuring. "This happens all the time down here… more or less. The Dark Ocean's tide comes in when it thinks it can snatch someone up. I suppose the amount of you here is too much of a temptation…"

"It'll retreat once it gets a good taste of Darkness," FlaWizarmon said. "Obviously, once we head outside, we'll be needing Friendship-kun, Passion Darlin', and Love Darlin' to lead the way."

Keiko let out a dry rattle of a laugh that held no humor or breath to it. "You two… you really have been gone a long time. It's _worse_ than it used to be. So… so much worse. Even if it does retreat now, it'll just wait for another opportunity, for you to drop your guard. And you all want to go _into_ it." She barked out another empty laugh before focusing on Monodramon, who was gawking out one of the windows. "No matter what you've got in mind to keep it at bay, it won't be enough, not when the thing it wants the most is right _here_."

Hikari swallowed hard and wet her lips, but she couldn't alleviate the dry feeling scratching at her throat. "Even… even if I go back, won't it just keep going after Takeru and my brother?"

"It would," Nyamon said. "But it wouldn't be as catastrophic if it had been you. Not to say that it wouldn't be bad," She turned to give Taichi and Takeru a small smirk before she focused on Hikari. "But _they_ can be purged. _You_ , on the other hand…"

"But I can't?" Hikari asked shakily.

Keiko touched her forehead. "You won't be tainted, you will be _eaten_." A haunted look passed her features as a shudder ran through her. "Trust me. I spent a long, long time sitting on that shore. The Dark Ocean is not one for keeping its plans secret. It wants you so… so badly." She rubbed her trembling arms in a futile gesture alleviate a chill that went beyond temperature or a physical body to feel it.

"There would be nothing left _to_ purge," Nyamon said. "Not a hand, not a hair, not a _scrap_." She narrowed her eyes. "The only reason it didn't kill Ken-chan was because he was more valuable alive - as a means to get you. It's the same for Taichi, Takeru, and Iori. But you… it will _not_ hesitate."

The nightmares started to replay in Hikari's mind, of drowning in that Dark Ocean; the laughter, crying, screaming and invasive feelings that were not her own that tore her apart. Now she understood with all too terribly clarity - it wasn't just a terrifying vision of what happened to those who were taken by the Dark Ocean, but the dearest wish of whatever passed for its collective will. Such a revelation brought bile crawling up her parched throat and left her weak, relying more on Taichi's grip on her than her own feet to keep her standing.

"In other words," Takeru said slowly. "Baihumon was wrong. Even the Digimental of Darkness can't keep Hikari safe here."

"The Holy Beasts have _no_ idea how the Dark Ocean truly works," Nyamon said with a snort. "They've always left it up to Narakumon to deal with. They have only the barest of understandings, the absolute basics. If they had known what the Dark Ocean was fully capable of, that stupid Sparrow would _never_ have sent his Devas here in the first place. Their deaths are on _his_ head."

"Wait, you were there!?" Yamato asked as he turned to Nyamon. "You saw what happened when they tried to rescue Ryo?"

Nyamon hesitated before her ears canted back, looking away as she crossed her arms. It took her a long moment before she finally answered in a quiet, subdued tone. "I saw them being dragged into the water. _Screaming_ as they were being torn apart."

"How… how can I get out of here?" Hikari whispered, her voice trembling. She tried to remain strong, brave, but she couldn't take much more of this, not when her very presence put them all at risk.

"Don't worry, hon," Witchmon said soothingly as she floated over to Hikari and rubbed the quaking girl's shoulders. "I'll warp you and everyone else who wants out, outta here like 'that'." She snapped her fingers. "Just say the word. We don't have to go outside again if you want to back out."

"It sounded like you wanted to send Honor-kun back, too," FlaWizarmon said. "She can take you and him out, an' _anyone_ else who ain't feelin' too comfortable right now. You won't even have to say so much as 'boo' to the Dark Ocean ever again."

Hikari placed a hand to her forehead. "I… this is my fault. If I wasn't here, the Dark Ocean…"

"Hey, hey," Taichi said before wrapping an arm around Hikari's waist and pulling his sister into a hug. "You didn't know. None of us knew. But it's okay. Nothing bad happened, and we're not gonna let it happen."

"I'm just as much fault for encouraging you," Black Tailmon said with a shake of her head. "I didn't fully understand it, either. If anyone is to blame…"

"You can't know what you're not told," Nyamon said.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Hikari," Keiko said quietly, guilt seeping into her expression upon seeing just how shaken up Hikari was by her words. "It's just… you have no idea how scared I was when I found out you were coming. I would've sent a message and warned you… but my power is still recovering right now."

"Right, so Hikari and Iori are heading back," Miyako said as she fixed the Chosen of Honor with a stare, daring him to argue. Her expression only softened a little when she saw no argument forthcoming.

"I think Mimi should go too," Jou said. When she turned to stare at him in protest, Jou immediately raised his hands. "I-I mean, it's just…"

"I agree with Jou," Sora said. She gave Mimi a gentle smile. "You've done enough, Mimi. We made you do far more than your own fair share, forcing you to fight for us when we couldn't. You've had to endure a lot of pain because of us and so I think… it's totally unfair to force you to do this, as well. Especially _here_ , with _this_."

At first, Mimi felt relieved at the excuse, but then guilt swept in and slammed her hard. "But… but I took the extra Darkness Digimental… So… I… Algomon and I should stay." She looked anxiously at her partner.

"I'll do whatever you want, Mimi," Algomon said.

"I'd feel better if you watched out for Iori and Hikari," Sora said. "Especially after what just happened. And I can't watch them myself."

"Well… o-okay," Mimi muttered, her guilt only growing along with her relief. "I'll give someone else the Digimental. We could use all the Darkness we can get right now." She paused for a moment before muttering to herself. "Never thought I'd say something like _that_."

Black Tailmon glanced at Hikari before she turned to Keiko, furrowing her brow. "What if… I stay in Hikari's place. Would that be okay? Would I endanger her?"

Keiko shook her head. "Not as long as you keep that armor evolution on. It can't taint you like that. Besides, even if you didn't have it, if you were killed and eaten, the Dark Ocean can't keep you. You'll just be reborn next to Hikari again."

"Good," Black Tailmon said. It felt strange to say that such a prospect was _good_ , but it was far better than the alternative. She turned to Hikari, offering her a weak smile. "Then I'll work twice as hard for the both of us, so we can rescue Ryo."

Hikari tried to smile back, but could only manage a feeble twitch of her mouth. The reminder of her partner's death coupled with memories of nightmares didn't help the fear pooling in her gut. Only the promise that Black Tailmon would return no matter what made her okay enough to nod, consenting to the idea.

"What about me?" Takeru asked. "You said I'd just be tainted, right?" He quickly brought up a hand to point at Yamato, who was about to argue. "Didn't ask you, I asked _her_."

Yamato scowled as he crossed his arms. "So you think acknowledging my complaints will make them go away?"

Keiko ran a hand across her face, but reluctantly nodded. "Yes. As long as the Dark Ocean doesn't have Hikari, it'll find you more useful as a puppet. Ken-chan practically waded into it the first time, yet it didn't eat him. It could have." Her gaze drifted somewhere far into the distance. "It's eaten others for less."

"You'll be here, so I'm not worried," Takeru said as he glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. He gave a small grin when he noticed how Yamato was unable to hide a twinge of happiness at his words. "Besides, I've had experience before so I know what to expect this time."

Keiko directed a finger at Yamato. "The second anyone gets a splash of taint, you purge it." She dragged her finger out to focus on Sora then Miyako. "I don't have enough power in me right now to kick any of you out _or_ cure taint, so you have to do it if it happens again."

Miyako nodded as she briefly glanced at Iori before focusing back on Keiko. "So, I take it that means you're going in with us?"

Keiko gestured to her faintly translucent body. "It can't eat me _or_ kill me; I know more about it than any of you; most importantly, this mission is to save Ryo. I'm going."

"Yeah, that's right," Taichi said after a moment as he straightened up, rallying against the fear still plaguing him and his friends. "We've got to get Ryo out of there."

Koshiro took a deep breath and straightened up as he gathered his courage. "We've come too far to back out now." He glanced at his partner. "Right, Tentomon?"

Tentomon nodded. "Right, Koshiro."

"I'm staying," Daisuke said, raising his voice as he held up his Digivice as though to ward off any protests. "I'll take Mimi's Digimental so-"

" _Miyako's_ Digimental," Kudamon said primly.

"...Miyako's Digimental," Daisuke amended. "So I'll be fine."

Keiko stared at Daisuke with narrowing eyes, making him squirm under the scrutiny. "No."

Daisuke jerked as though struck. "W-wait, I'm not gonna-"

"You hate yourself," Keiko said, the words falling from her mouth with the impact of a stone. "You're one step away from answering the Dark Ocean."

Daisuke stepped back from the emotional blow, his mouth going dry. He shook his head in denial, but he could only stammer out half-words.

"Daisuke!?" Hikari gasped, horrified, as she stared at Daisuke with wide, haunted eyes.

"It wouldn't make Ken happy if you became tainted - or worse," Nyamon said. "It wouldn't fix anything."

Daisuke flinched. "B-but, I…"

"You screwed up with Ken-chan," Keiko said, her face an impassive mask. "I _know_."

Somehow, that hurt Daisuke worse than anything else. The dead girl, one of Ken's oldest and dearest friends, had a way of seeing things happen anywhere, and the revelation that she watched him tear that dear friend apart was devastating. It only further proved to him how lothesome a person he truly was.

It also made the whispers that had been in the background since their arrival grow louder, drowning out everything else.

Keiko shoved her hand in Daisuke's face, causing him to shriek and scramble back with a yelp at the intense cold and unnatural sensation. Although it hadn't hurt, the sensation was terrifying and startling all the same. "You didn't hear anything I just said, did you?"

"Wh-wh-what?" Daisuke stammered.

"D-Daisuke!?" V-mon blurted out as he rushed to his partner's side, grabbing his arm.

" _Those_ thoughts are what we're talking about," Nyamon said with a snap of her tail.

Keiko placed a hand on her forehead, as if even ghosts could get stress headaches. "I was just telling you that I know you screwed up, but I did, too, years ago." She locked eyes with Daisuke, placing her cold hands on, and then _through_ his shoulders to keep his attention fixed solely on her. "As long as you realize the mistake you made and sincerely wish to redeem yourself, then you _can_ make this up to Ken-chan. You _can_ eventually be his friend again. But you can't _if the Dark Ocean consumes you_."

Daisuke barely kept himself from stepping back this time, his body quaking from the cold seeping deep into him far beyond the senses of his body. Words failed him, his feelings almost overwhelming, but, ultimately, he managed a slight nod.

"Daisuke," Iori said softly, prompting the Chosen of Tenacity to look at him. "I understand that there is a time when a man must do something for himself. But… I'm also slowly learning that there is also a time when a man must recognize that he is hurting himself, and by extension those important to him. If not for yourself, or Ken, or everyone else that cares for you… consider how V-mon feels."

"I-I'm fine!" V-mon blurted out then glared at Iori as he gripped Daisuke's arm tightly. "Daisuke doesn't need to worry about me! He's not hurting me, so don't imply he is!"

"V-mon…," Daisuke murmured, his voice rasping through his dry throat.

Keiko smiled faintly at V-mon as she released Daisuke. "You're a good partner. Keep working on getting Daisuke through this. I believe in you."

"Of course!" V-mon said forcefully. "I'll always support Daisuke! _Always_!"

"I know you will," Keiko said softly before she looked fondly at her own partner who met her gaze with equal affection in return.

"Thanks, V-mon," Daisuke said softly, trying to smile at his partner, but only with minor success. "I guess… I guess we're sitting this one out."

Taichi approached Daisuke from behind and squeezed the younger boy's shoulder, bringing back some of the warmth Keiko had stolen from him. "Hey, you're doing the right thing." He flashed Daisuke a crooked grin when their eyes met. "Just save up your energy for the next one."

Daisuke nodded as he adjusted his hold on V-mon, transferring his partner into his arms properly in a discreet hug. "I-I will."

"Well, guess that means I'll be taking Passion," Gomamon said as he glanced up at his partner with a grin.

"I'm fine with that as long as Kudamon is," Miyako said as she cocked her head towards her partner.

"It's fine, it's fiiine," Kudamon said as she twirled in the air. "I'm being generous to the less fortunate - i.e. everyone who is not me."

"That sounds like _my_ line," Gomamon said as he flashed Kudamon a grin.

Witchmon cleared her throat loudly enough for it to echo faintly off the high temple ceiling, cutting off further conversation. "Dearies… Pardon me for interrupting your plans, but…"

"Who the heck are ya'll talkin' to?" FlaWizarmon asked as he tilted his head, finishing his partner's sentence. "I mean, maybe we're just goin' crazy but… it looks like ya'll are having a pretty deep, pretty interestin' conversation... with absolutely friggin' nobody."

Nyamon paused at that before her expression became crestfallen. She glanced to Keiko, her ears drooping.

Keiko closed her eyes and bowed her head.

"You can't see her?" Mimi asked, looking from Keiko and Nyamon and back to FlaWizarmon and Witchmon. "I mean, she's kind of see through, but still…" She tried not to shiver at that little detail. Having a ghost right there in front of her was terrifying, regardless of the circumstances, though she berated herself for it.

"Her who?" FlaWizarmon asked with a blink.

"I-I don't see anyone, either," Monodramon chirped in as he raised his claw like a student answering a teacher, then immediately fidgeted. "I-I mean, n-not that you asked me, b-but…"

"Keiko," Hikari answered softly.

FlaWizarmon and Witchmon froze as a wide array of emotions played across their faces, raging from surprise and anger to pain and befuddlement. After several moments of silence, the two Digimon looked at each other before returning their attention to the Chosen Children.

"Keiko," FlaWizarmon said, his voice stiff. "Yer sayin'... yer talkin' to Keiko. _Keiko_ is here. That is what yer sayin'."

"Keiko Ryuzaki," Witchmon said, as though it needed clarification. "Our Lady Darkness is here? Right _here_?" She directed her finger unnecessarily towards the ground.

"And Nyamon," Takeru said before he moved his arm to point directly at the ephemeral Digimon, who watched the two sadly. "Keiko and Nyamon are here."

Monodramon blinked as his eyes widened. "Y-you mean the Chosen of Darkness? B-but wait, isn't she-"

" _Don't say it._ " FlaWizarmon barked, his voice sharp as a knife. Monodramon flinched and wilted, quickly moving to hide behind the closest Chosen Child - in this case, Takeru.

"Please," Witchmon said in a strained attempt at gentleness. "Please don't… don't ever say those words to us."

Monodramon hesitated as he peeked out from behind Takeru before he gave a nod.

Hikari felt her heart twist painfully, aching for FlaWizarmon and Witchmon, but more so for Keiko and Nyamon. She turned to the ghostly pair, her eyes damp with tears she fought to keep down. "Keiko, if…"

Hikari trailed off as a glint of light caught her eye. For the first time, she focused her attention not on Keiko's face, but on the ghost's body, and saw a faint glow marking Keiko; a jagged white line that went from her left thigh and ended below her right armpit. With all the anger and fear running hot earlier, she hadn't really noticed it, but now the scar was all she could see. "Keiko! What happened to you!?"

Grimacing, Keiko looked down at herself, a finger lightly tracing the glowing edge that bisected her ethereal form. "Someone used Light to cut me open to take Ken-chan from me."

A hand flew to Hikari's mouth as she choked, aghast. " _What_!?"

"Wait, what does that mean?!" Takeru asked as he quickly moved to Keiko, causing Monodramon to squeak and quickly follow lest he lose his cover. "To cut you open!?"

"Keiko was protecting Ken from the Dark Ocean," Nyamon said with a snap of her tail. "Literally."

Keiko closed her eyes, wilting under the stares directed her way. "I tried… I _tried_ to send him back, but Ken-chan wanted to… to…!" She looked away, choking on her words. It took her a moment to compose herself so that she could continue. "The Dark Ocean was coming for him. I… I couldn't let it taint him again. I just couldn't. Not again. So I did what I could to keep it from touching him."

"She gave up even being a ghost and used her very soul to become Ken's shield," Nyamon said gravely, her tail lashing harshly back and forth in a clear display of her feelings. "For weeks, it was like she no longer existed at all."

Keiko reached out to her partner, scooping Nyamon up into her arms in a silent apology for the pain she caused her dearest friend.

"Wait, what's this… about Keiko and _cutting_?" FlaWizarmon snapped in, stepping towards the group and looming over the children. "What's happening?"

"Keiko said that she was shielding Ken from the Dark Ocean, literally," Yamato said, his expression deeply unnerved as he stared at Keiko - specifically the white 'cut' of energy upon her. "But then someone cut her open."

FlaWizarmon stared at Yamato for a moment before his eyes widened, a flicker of terrible, merciless understanding appearing on his face. "Oh God, so that was…!?"

Witchmon held a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with pupils the size of pinpricks as she stared at FlaWizarmon in horror that she could not give voice to.

Miyako's eyes narrowed with suspicion at the pair. "You know something about this, don't you."

FlaWizarmon was silent for a moment, glancing to Witchmon to confirm that she shared his thoughts. After a moment, he turned back to the Chosen Children. "…Kaiser-kun said that when he escaped the Dark Ocean, he…" He faltered before grasping front of his shirt tight, as if grabbing his heart. "He had to use the Crest of Kindness to, ah, _cut_ his way out… of a large black sphere of Darkness that had him trapped."

"Oh no," Hikari breathed, aghast. She turned back to Keiko, her expression almost frantic. "He didn't mean it, Keiko! There, there's no way that Ken-"

"It's fine," Keiko interrupted with a surprising level of calm, the tension smoothing out of her features as a small smile quirked the corners of her lips. "Actually, that makes me feel relieved. If it was Ken-chan saving himself from the Dark Ocean, then that means I helped him recover." She sighed softly, her eyes fluttering closed as her voice dropped to a near whisper. "Thank Papa and Mama…"

FlaWizarmon trembled as he tightened his grip around his shirt, digging into the fabric and squeezing his chest underneath. He choked on his words, struggling for something, _anything_ to say, but all that came out were broken syllables strained with emotion. Witchmon did not fare any better.

"Keiko says she's fine with that," Miyako said, raising her voice a bit to try and cut through the feelings overwhelming FlaWizarmon and Witchmon to prevent an all out panic attack of epic proportions. "She says she's glad Ken saved himself and is doing better." She paused for a moment, then shrugged. "I'd probably feel the same way if I did something like that for Iori, to be honest."

FlaWizarmon faltered before he closed his eyes, trying to get his breathing under control. After a moment, he let out a deep breath and opened his eyes as he turned to Witchmon. "We can't tell Ken-chan."

Witchmon shook her head frantically, her voice coming out muffled from behind her hands. "Never. _Never_."

"Yeah," Daisuke muttered in spite of himself, not looking at anyone. "Ken doesn't need more shit piled on him."

Witchmon shot Daisuke withering glance at the corner of her eye, but held her tongue.

Nyamon watched the exchange with a frown before she turned to Hikari. "It's not a permanent injury, so don't worry about that. We'll be getting it taken care of as soon as we can."

Keiko set Nyamon back down onto the floor at her side and met Hikari's worried gaze with her resolute one. "You don't have to… you _shouldn't_ worry about the dead. You're the ones in danger, not us. Not me."

"Don't forget, you're here for Ryo," Nyamon said.

"Not me," Keiko repeated with a wry crook of her mouth. "Besides, I'm _dead_. You can't exactly heal me."

Hikari couldn't help but approach Keiko, reaching out for the ghost. "But I can't just leave you like-"

The second Hikari's hand made contact with Keiko's shoulder, she began to pass through with the same chill she experienced in her dreams. It was something she had expected, even braced herself for, but what she didn't predict was how the Light would react. The cut flared brilliantly, bright enough that even FlaWizarmon, Witchmon, and Monodramon saw it as it coiled around Hikari's wrist then disappeared into her skin. When the light was gone, Keiko stood as whole as a ghost could manage.

Nyamon gave a blink as she stared at Keiko, then Hikari, before returning her gaze to her partner. After a moment's hesitation, her expression grew wry. "Seems she proved us wrong again, Keiko."

Keiko let out a quiet chuckle that was a breath of cool air as she watched Hikari stare at the hand that absorbed the Light. The sound grew and grew until full blown laughter that had her hugging herself as tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

"K… Keiko?" Hikari asked slowly, now growing concerned for a different reason.

"S-sorry," Keiko managed to say between giggles as she wiped her eyes, a tinge of sadness tainting her mirth. "It's just… I couldn't help it. It's just so… so _stupid_!"

"Stupid…?" Hikari repeated.

Keiko let out another burst of giggles before she continued. "I was acting stupid! I treated you… like all those stupid Digimon treated me." She threw her arms out to her sides, brushing them against her skirt in the process and causing it to flutter about her. " _Everyone_ underestimated me until I showed them I could do the impossible too!"

For a moment, Hikari let that sink in, before a small giggle escaped her in spite of herself. "It's okay. I can't say I _ever_ expect any of the impossible things I do."

"Exactly!" Keiko proclaimed, her smile the brightest Hikari had ever seen it. "We're an impossible force of nature that shouldn't exist, _but we still do_! We're the impossible made possible, so there's nothing stopping us from doing _anything!_ " She paused to shake her head with another short bout of chuckling. "I can't believe I forgot that."

Hikari sensed there was more to Keiko's revelation than just the cut of light she removed, but she didn't dare voice her suspicions. Instead she just appreciated the spark of life that had returned to the dead girl's eyes.

"Maybe after we do the impossible and save Ryo from the Dark Ocean _and_ Zeed, you can help Mama and Papa wake up," Keiko said, her smile remaining even as her tone took a slightly more somber turn.

"Mama and Papa?" Taichi asked, his expression contorting in confusion.

That question made Keiko's expression shift to something odd that only Mimi noticed looked like embarrassment before it slid back into a neutral mask as she straightened up her posture. "Tenraimon and Narakumon." A beat later, when the confusion lingered over the others, she continued. "They-"

"Mama Tenraimon and Papa Narakumon," Witchmon said gently, unintentionally talking over Keiko, her eyes soft and gaze distant. "They adopted Keiko not long after she first came to the Digital World. That's who she's talking about."

"Oh," Mimi murmured. "That's so… so sad." She looked at Keiko again, focusing on how she could see straight through the Chosen of Darkness. "You… they… lost so much."

"Depends on who ya ask," FlaWizarmon said, with a weak chuckle. "I'd say that the day she was adopted was the happiest day of Keiko's life." He paused before he looked at the ground. "...Though maybe if it had never happened, she'd still…"

Keiko's expression deadpanned, and she turned towards Miyako. "Smack FlaWizarmon's hat off for me, please."

"Wait, what?" Koshiro asked, startled. He was even more surprised to see Miyako casually shrug and do exactly what Keiko requested.

FlaWizarmon yelped as he jerked forward, his hat falling on the ground. He blinked as he stared down at the hat before he glanced to Miyako, giving her a weak grin. "Let me guess. Keiko?"

Miyako smirked and nodded as she held up her hands innocently. "Yup. I'm just the messenger."

FlaWizarmon reached down to pick up his hat before placing it back on his head, his smile still weak as his eyes watered. He paused before he reached up to wipe at his eyes. "She really is here."

Witchmon managed a small giggle, filled with more moisture than mirth as she smiled at FlaWizarmon. "You're lucky Keiko had to outsource that, or you'd be getting an earful now for talking like that."

"I reckon I got off easy," FlaWizarmon said lightly.

"For now," Nyamon said.

Keiko made a noise that might have been clearing her throat, but it came out odd, more spoken than an actual natural sound. "As I was saying, Mama… _Tenraimon_ is asleep. She put herself to sleep and redirected her energy to P… _Narakumon_ so he could run the Digital World by himself. This was to keep Zeed from tapping into her directly and draining her dry, maybe even killing her."

The news was a disturbing one that left all of the Chosen feeling uneasy, but most especially Hikari who clutched her shirt. "It's because of the orb, isn't it? Because of m-"

"Because of _Zeed_!" Keiko snapped fiercely, steamrollering right over Hikari's guilt. "We _all_ trusted Gennai. It was a trap made _specifically_ for Ma… Tenraimon. It's not the first one, either."

"It's just the only one that succeeded," Hikari mumbled in spite of herself.

"No, actually," Keiko said before poking Hikari in the forehead to make the other Chosen Child shiver from the sudden shock of cold and pay more attention to her. "But that's not important. What's important is that Papa…" She paused for a moment, her expression twisting in frustration before she let out an aggravated huff without air as she finally gave up. " _Papa_ can't run the Digital World by himself, so he's been breaking down."

"What do you mean breaking down?" Koshiro asked, a cold dread pooling in his gut. "What does it mean for the Digital World?"

"We're all dead if we can't fix this," Keiko said, her voice a low toll of a funeral bell that reverberated through each and every Chosen. "If we don't repair the damage done to Papa and Mama and wake them up again. They'll degrade, and the Digital World will collapse without their support, taking the Earth with it."

"Baihumon was right," Takeru said, his voice like a breath. "Something _has_ happened to Narakumon."

"What can we do?" Yamato asked. "What can we do to fix this!?"

"What you're doing now," Nyamon said. "Getting Ryo away from Zeed. That's the first step."

Keiko nodded, a ghost of a smile reappearing on her face that grew into a fierce grin of determination. "We _are_ going to fix this. All of this." She made a sweeping gesture to the Dark World around her. "We're going to do what we do best: the impossible."

Miyako couldn't help but match Keiko's nearly manic grin with one of her own. "Finally, someone who talks sense. I like you already."

"You heard the lady!" Kudamon said as she flew in circles above the group. "No more wasting time gossiping, Operation Rescue Ryo From The Perv is a go!"

Keiko gave a sharp nod to Miyako before she glanced at the other Chosen Children, her eyes blazing with a strength that they didn't have before. "We're going to save Ryo _and_ finally stop Zeed for good!"


	7. Chapter 7

A multitude of footsteps echoed through the sacred halls as the Chosen Children followed Keiko into the depths of Narakumon's temple. Their shadows followed them along the quiet walls, devoid of any movement save their own as an oppressive stillness put their nerves on edge. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the throne room, each anxious to see what the Chosen of Darkness had to show them.

It was a scene that none of the Chosen were prepared for. A massive angelic Digimon, as tall as a skyscraper when standing, sat back in his ornate throne of obsidian and silver as if he had collapsed, his arms draping haphazardly to either side of the armrests and his head lolled forward so that his black hair spilled forward like a waterfall. Even his dull silver wings lacked strength, sagging down to dangle over the sides of the throne, feathers messily sprawled about him with some even having fallen loose into a pile around the base of the throne. It was a Digimon that Hikari instantly recognized from her dreams, despite the size difference.

Narakumon looked like _hell_.

Black Tailmon's ears canted back as she gawked at the DigiGod of Darkness, her look of horror mirrored on Hikari's own face. Quickly, she raced forward, bounding the distance until she got to Narakumon's armored foot, ignoring the way it dwarfed her several times over as she placed her paws against it. "Narakumon!"

There was no response, not even a twitch on the god Digimon's face.

"Holy _shit_ ," FlaWizarmon breathed as he gawked from the doorway, then hurried to join Black Tailmon at Narakumon's feet.

Witchmon covered her mouth with a hand. "Oh, my… God."

"He won't wake up," Keiko said, arms folded in front of her with her head bowed and her earlier enthusiasm bleeding out at the sight of the slumbering god she called her father. "…No matter what we do."

"Why?" Takeru asked as he approached Keiko, stopping beside her as he stared up at the Digimon. He hesitated as he recalled what Keiko had said before. "Because of the strain of running everything himself?"

"Exhaustion, basically?" Yamato asked as he crossed his arms, furrowing his brow.

Keiko nodded, her expression solemn.

Black Tailmon paused before her ears drooped. She couldn't help but feel guilty, as she knew that her own actions had contributed to Narakumon's state. He had helped Nyamon manifest herself long enough that they could jogress. The DigiGod no doubt knew _exactly_ what would happen, and yet he did it anyway.

Nyamon glanced towards Black Tailmon, as if sensing her thoughts, before she looked down at the floor and let out a heavy sigh.

"I wanted to meet him," Mimi said as she clasped her hands together, her eyes moist. "But not like this."

Hikari trembled as she moved to stand by her partner, staring up at the prone Narakumon. Her heart twisted in her chest, knowing full well how much he had supported her - and how this was the result of that support. It made her all the more resolute in what she had to do. "We're going to help him."

Keiko nodded, giving Hikari a small, but grateful smile.

"But… how?" Taichi asked slowly, his gaze rarely straying from the giant unconscious angel before them.

"Maybe we can give him a jumpstart?" Miyako wondered aloud before turning to lock eyes with Sora and Yamato. "I mean, we've got three out of five of us here, and all of the Darkness Digimentals…" She paused before glancing at Keiko appraisingly. "And you've got some spooky ghost magic and know a crapload more than the rest of us. Think it's possible we could just give him our power like you all did for the orb?"

For a moment, Keiko's eyes were bright as the suggestion made her heart bloom with new possibilities she hadn't even considered before, but a beat later, her expression skewed up with pain as another thought crushed her budding hope. Slowly, with obvious reluctance, she shook her head. "We… we can't. Not now."

"Narakumon would be livid if he knew that we chose him over saving Ryo," Nyamon added, coming to the same conclusion as her partner. "He'd say something like we could have waited until _after_ we got Ryo from that bastard, because he's obviously not going anywhere and it really wasn't that bad anyway… he was just 'napping', or some other extremely transparent attempt to cover up his weakness."

Keiko folded her arms tight against her chest. "Ryo… Ryo has been trapped with Zeed for too long."

"But you _are_ saying that it's possible," Yamato said as he fixed his gaze on the mournful ghost. "Just, that it'd mean we couldn't go rescue Ryo right now because we wasted all our energy, right?"

"The orb thing _did_ exhaust us for quite some time," Sora said, thoughtfully. "Time that we'd spend recovering, while Ryo's trapped."

Miyako let out a weary sigh as her idea was shot down. "True enough. We're probably going to be too wiped to do anything after we go back out to face _that_ again." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder in the general direction they had come from, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the memory of how close the Dark Ocean had come to stealing Iori away.

Iori couldn't look at Miyako, his thoughts running down the same path as hers. Instead, he focused on Armadimon, who nuzzled his leg affectionately.

"That just means we can do it _later_ ," Gabumon said, thoughtfully as he tapped a claw to his chin. "After we've saved Ryo. Then, he can't complain."

"Oh, he'd still complain," Nyamon said, wryly. "But he'd have less of a leg to stand on."

"Huh?" Piyomon blinked as she turned to face Nyamon. "Why would he complain about us helping him?"

Nyamon turned to Piyomon, her grin becoming lopsided. "Tsundere."

"The biggest tsundere to ever exist," Keiko deadpanned.

Miyako stared at Keiko in disbelief. "Was that pun intentional?"

Gomamon let out a snicker. "Nice one!"

"What's a tsundere?" Taichi asked as he scratched the back of his head.

Miyako jerked a thumb to her side. "Daisuke and how he acts about Ken now."

Daisuke jerked at the mention of him and Ken in the same breath, but the meaning of the word left him feeling too confused and conflicted to know exactly how to respond. "Wh-what's that mean?"

"Covering up how much you still love the guy by acting like you hate him," Miyako said with a casual shrug.

"I-I don't…!" Daisuke sputtered, cheeks turning pink. "I mean… I… I don't do that anymore!"

"It's not like I _like_ you or anything!" Kudamon said as she twirled over Miyako's head. "Tsun-tsun-tsun! I can't be honest about a-ny-thing!"

V-mon bristled as he glared up at Kudamon. "Hey! Don't make fun of Daisuke!"

"That… that's not…," Daisuke muttered, only to trail off awkwardly, as he realized the part about not being honest about his feelings towards Ken was true at least.

Miyako grinned wryly at Daisuke. "In your case, it's the classic trope where someone becomes obsessed over another person and can't stop talking about them even if it's to claim they don't care about that person. With Narakumon, it's probably more like he doesn't want to admit he has feelings, right?" She glanced at Keiko, who nodded after a moment's consideration.

"Oh, you mean like how Sora and Taichi kept denying they were dating, even though they obviously were?" Yamato asked as he jerked a thumb at the couple in question, who both simultaneously turned red in the face and whipped about to gawk at him.

"W-we weren't!" Taichi stammered. "I mean, well, we are _now_ , but we weren't _then_!"

Mimi giggled as she gave the blushing pair a knowing look. "Yamato's right. You two were just too afraid to call it dating at the time, but everyone knew you were. It was so cute~!"

"T-that was… it's…!" Sora struggled for a response as her face burned ever brighter. "I wasn't…!"

"That," Nyamon said as she pointed a claw at Sora, which only made the Chosen of Love's face turn as red as a cherry.

"Sorry, but you won't win that way," Keiko said with a crooked grin. "Denying it is exactly what tsunderes _do_."

FlaWizarmon and Witchmon watched the exchange from the base of Narakumon's throne, next to their diety's inert feet. After a moment, the two looked at each other in amusement.

"Don't even need to hear the other side to know what's bein' said," FlaWizarmon said, with a crooked grin. "An' know Lord Narakumon's gettin' razzed."

"That's our Lady Darkness for you," Witchmon said with a fond wistfulness to her eyes as her gaze lingered on the empty space the children kept looking to, a small part of her hoping to catch a flicker of something, anything at all. "It seems not even death took away her spark."

Monodramon frowned as he remained in the massive arched doorway, watching the exchange in complete befuddlement. He couldn't even bring himself to enter the throne room proper, as the terrifying form of the Lord of Darkness sat right in front of him in his mighty throne. His unconscious state did nothing to lessen his imposing appearance, or the threat Narakumon posed to them all. All of Monodramon's nerves were on edge as he half expected the tyrant to suddenly get up and squash them all beneath his feet, and yet none of the Chosen Children showed any sign of apprehension. Either they didn't realize the danger they were in, or they _did_ and weren't fazed by it.

Monodramon didn't know which prospect frightened him more.

"Well, it sounds like we have a plan. Rescue Ryo, _then_ Narakumon," Takeru said, drawing the conversation back to their actual purpose. He couldn't miss the relieved looks Sora and Taichi shot his way, but he was kind enough not to point it out. "Should we get ready? I know we're not eager to start, but delaying it will only make it harder."

Just like that, the jovial air evaporated as the oppressive weight of their mission returned to the forefront of their thoughts. For a moment, they all exchanged looks, sharing a mutual dread of once more facing the Dark Ocean.

"First things first," FlaWizarmon said as he jerked a thumb towards the still-evolved Light Digimon - and Palmon, in the form of Algomon.

Black Tailmon gave a nod before she turned to Mimi and Iori. "Right. It's time to de-evolve and hand over the Digimentals you're using."

Iori hesitated, a grimace appearing on his face. He seemed about ready to argue, as his pride bubbled up inside him once again, but he managed to quickly shove it away, forcing it down in his stomach. "R-right." He pulled out his Digivice and turned to Armadimon, who watched him with a solemn expression on his face. With but a gesture, the light of evolution overtook the small armadillo Digimon. However, rather than de-evolving back to Kyokyomon as Iori expected, he instead found himself staring at a strange tan-colored wingless dragon in black samurai armor. Iori gave a start, nearly dropping his Digivice. "K-Kyo-!?"

"Huh?" the new Digimon blinked before he looked down at himself. "Huh? I evolved?"

Iori went quiet. He could only think of one thing that had changed since they arrived in this place. He turned to Keiko, his eyes questioning. "Is it… because of what happened? Because of… _that_?"

"You opened up your heart a little more," Keiko said gently before turning to Nyamon and placing a hand upon the black cat's head. Unlike the living, she could at least touch her partner, which visibly relaxed her. "That's really all it takes."

Iori considered that before he lowered his gaze to the little warrior dragon beside him. "It sounds so simple, and yet… many times, it is the hardest thing to do."

Iori's partner smiled brightly up at him, his draconic tail wagging. "I evolved because I felt I-o-ri's feelings! I'm Ryudamon now!"

"Congratulations, Ryudamon," Iori said, with a soft smile. "And thank you."

Ryudamon's smile widened as he giggled, his tail wagging more vigorously.

"Mimi? I'm ready," Algomon said as she turned to her partner. She knew that the Chosen of Purity was struggling with her decision, while she didn't want to pressure Mimi, she wanted to continue giving her support.

Mimi smiled faintly at Algomon, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Well, at least you won't have to stay in that scary evolution any longer." With that, she used her Digivice to revert her partner back to Palmon before transferring the Digimental to Jou.

Palmon moved to hug Mimi, her grip tight. "It's fine, Mimi. Sora's right - it's unfair to make you do _all_ the hard things _all_ the time."

"Right," Sora said as she moved to place her hand against Mimi's back. "You've done more than enough."

Mimi returned the hug just as tightly before giving Sora a weak but grateful smile. "I guess you would know, right, Sora?"

Sora nodded, returning the smile with a soft one of her own.

A flash of light signalled Tentomon's evolution, and he soon appeared at the form he had back when they were first trying out the Digimentals - Blade Kuwagamon. The sword-like bug Digimon hovered in the air thanks to his electric wings. "I am ready, Koshiro."

Jou glanced at Koshiro and Blade Kuwagamon before turning to Gomamon. He wasn't sure what to expect, but if Algomon was anything to go by, he had to be prepared for anything. "Um, are you ready, Gomamon?"

"More ready than you are," Gomamon said with a wink. "Let's go _viral_."

Jou gave a small nod before he lifted his Digivice, pointing it at his partner. The evolution that overtook Gomamon was gigantic, easily the size of a house. Disturbingly, he too looked hauntingly similar to Devimon, though with fins on his pointed head and a third red eye. Most striking of all were the fact that his hands ended in massive white tentacles framed in lengthy black claws, two more identical tentacles came from his back along with an array of undulating slender black tendrils that hid amidst his tattered black cloak.

"MarinDevimon!" the new horrifying evolution proclaimed in a low, rumbling tone that sounded like thunder.

Jou's eyes widened as his glasses slid down his nose slightly. "Ah."

Mimi shuddered and shot Miyako an accusing look. "Why are all your Digimental evolutions so creepy!?"

Rather than appear chastised, Miyako grinned smugly and took a moment to readjust her glasses before delivering a retort. "I don't _do_ cute."

Iori gave Miyako a pointed look, a whisper of a smile creeping in at the corners of his mouth. "So is that why you have a complete set of-"

" _Shuuush your face_!" Miyako said loudly to drown out Iori's words as she shoved her hands over his mouth, her cheeks tinted just a bit pink.

Kudamon was quick to join in, flopping down on top of Iori's head. "Don't you know it's rude to talk about a lady's business without her consent?"

Iori simply grinned behind Miyako's hands, but said nothing more.

Koshiro let out a thoughtful hum as he looked over MarinDevimon. "This might be something to analyze sometime when we don't have more pressing business to deal with." He paused upon noticing a couple confused looks and rushed to clarify. "I mean, similarities between evolutions, both due to the Digimentals and the Digimon they're used on. There should be some sort of reason for who evolves into what and how."

"Welp, looks like they're ready," FlaWizarmon said as he turned to Witchmon. "All yours."

V-mon frowned before he turned to Daisuke, noting the troubled expression on his partner's face. "Daisuke… are you sure about this? I won't let anyone bully you into doing what you don't want to do."

Daisuke looked to V-mon, conflict clearly warring across his face. "I…"

A feeling of cold on his shoulder stopped him from trying to say anything, drawing his attention back to Keiko. Meeting the red gaze of the dead girl, he had to suppress a shudder as she leaned in close to him, but, surprisingly, he saw sadness in her eyes rather than judgement.

"I was watching you," Keiko said quietly so that only he would hear her. "Not just what happened with Wormmon, but every time you met with Ken-chan." She smiled faintly. "You made him happy. Even after everything Zeed Millenniumon and the Dark Ocean did to him."

Daisuke flinched, his insides recoiling and going cold as if the ghost had punched him in the gut with her words alone. Moisture welled up in his eyes that he struggled to suppress with all his might, refusing to cry again, not with everyone here. When he had it under control, he forced out a weak whisper. "Why? Why… don't you hate me… for what I did to them?"

A breathy chuckle escaped Keiko and her smile turned wry. "Don't get me wrong. Watching you blow up at Ken-chan had me screaming and swearing at you from all the way here in the Dark World. If I was still alive, I'd sock you a good one for it."

She swiped a fist at Daisuke's face, causing him to jerk back with a yelp, more from the suddenness than the terrible cold left behind. He shivered at the sensation and rubbed his cheek where her hand passed through.

"So… then… why…?" Daisuke eventually managed to croak out.

"I _also_ saw your talk with your friend over there," Keiko said quietly, nodding her head in Taichi's direction. "And other things too." Her eyes took on a sharp, almost wicked gleam. "There's nothing else for the dead to do but watch, you know."

Daisuke went pale at the implications. "I… you…"

Keiko gave Daisuke's shoulder a pat, sending fresh waves of bone-deep cold through him as she smiled brightly. "I'll only hate you if you decide to change your mind about Ken-chan again. So... Don't. Okay?"

"I won't!" Daisuke responded a little too quickly and a little louder than he intended. He winced, his straying eyes catching the fact that practically everyone was watching his hushed conversation with a ghost and quickly dropped his voice back to a whisper. "I-I know I messed up, but I… I'm going to make it right. I promise." He faltered for a moment, grimacing. "Even… even if Ken and I… even if we can never be friends again, I'll make things right."

Keiko's expression softened. " _That_ is why I'm giving you a mission just as important as saving Ryo." She gave Daisuke one last pat then straightened up, folding her arms in front of her. "Make Ken-chan happy."

"I…" Daisuke felt overwhelmed by the order, by Keiko in general, but he simply could not refuse. "I'll… I'll try."

Keiko nodded then shifted her gaze to V-mon. "V-mon, your mission, naturally, is to help Daisuke with _his_ mission. You know Ken-chan made Daisuke happy too, so getting them through this is important."

V-mon huffed, his cheeks puffing out. "I will _always_ help Daisuke, mission or no mission!"

Keiko smirked as she poked V-mon's pointed nose, causing him to jerk back with a yelp. "That means no getting angry at Ken-chan or Wormmon anymore, even if they snap at Daisuke because of what happened. That won't help Daisuke make up with them, let alone be friends again."

V-mon blinked before his sulk turned into an uneasy frown. He couldn't argue with what Keiko was saying. While he didn't particularly like the idea of not actively defending Daisuke, he also couldn't deny the possibility that he might actually make things worse. "Even if they're being mean?"

Keiko's smile faltered a bit as sadness crept into her eyes. "Wormmon… he's still tainted… and even though I kept the Dark Ocean from touching him, that doesn't mean Ken-chan didn't hear whatever they were whispering to him all that time. They're not going to be doing well in here," she pointed to her head, "or here." She placed her hand over her chest. "That means they might say or do things they don't really mean, especially since they're probably both hurting still, and I know it's going to hurt… and I know you're going to get angry… but if you and Daisuke keep getting angry at Ken-chan and Wormmon, the cycle is never going to end. It's only going to lead to more pain for everybody, including Daisuke."

V-mon slouched at that, lowering his head to stare at the floor. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was cause pain to Daisuke, for any reason. "I'll do my best." He muttered, quietly.

"I know you will," Keiko said with a bit more cheer than before. "That's why I'm trusting you two to help them."

Daisuke drooped a little, uncertainty wavering in his heart, before he gave himself a mental shake. Straightening, he forced himself to meet Keiko's gaze, no matter how deeply it pierced him, as he placed a hand atop V-mon's head. "We won't let you down."

That was when Daisuke noticed FlaWizarmon and Witchmon leaning over his shoulders, staring at him intensely. With a howl, he scrambled backwards, arms flailing, only to lose his balance and hit the floor with a thud.

"Oh, don't mind us, dearie," Witchmon said, showing off her razor sharp teeth in a wicked curve of a smile. "Don't let us interrupt your little chat."

Daisuke felt his cheeks burn. "Don't mind?! You were listening in!"

FlaWizarmon tipped back his hat. "Can't rightly listen to a conversation properly when you're only gettin' half of it, now can ya?"

"You shouldn't be listening at all!" V-mon snapped as he pointed at FlaWizarmon, then Witchmon.

"Well, we couldn't help it, yeah?" FlaWizarmon said as he tilted his head to the side. "We're all waitin' on you, holdin' up the trip back. So what else were we gonna do?"

"Stand back and wait!" Daisuke snapped hotly as he climbed to his feet. "You don't see anyone else sneaking over here to listen in on someone else's private conversation, do ya!?"

FlaWizarmon quirked an eyebrow as he silently looked at Daisuke before he meaningfully lifted his gaze upwards.

As if on cue, Kudamon let out a yelp as she hovered above the small group before she did her best to appear indifferent, though she was clearly flustered. "What a rude accusation! I'm just floating around aimlessly, that's all! Minding my own business, unlike _you_ two!"

Daisuke outright gawked at Kudamon before he rounded on the Digimon's partner. "Miyako!"

Miyako fluttered wide, innocent eyes at the call of her name. "Yes, Daisuke? You called?"

The reaction was more than enough to confirm Daisuke's suspicions. With a wordless cry of frustration, he stamped his foot, ready to storm off, when a shock of bone-chilling cold froze him in place.

"Daisuke," Keiko said gently, her hand partially inside the boy's shoulder.

Daisuke stared through those red eyes and felt a wave of shame overtake him as he realized he had, once again, lost his temper. He had to look away from Keiko. It took him a moment to choke out a weak reassurance not only to her, but himself as well. "I'll do better than this. I will." He clenched his fist so tight it shook. "I have to."

Keiko nodded with a gentle smile before she redirected her attention. "V-mon."

V-mon wrinkled in nose, looking at Keiko with clear frustration. "I know, I know, don't fight them."

Keiko's expression turned mischievous. "Actually, I was going to ask you for a favor. Could you please knock off FlaWizarmon and Witchmon's hats and remind them not to listen in on _my_ private conversations?"

V-mon paused before his expression grew gleeful. "You got it!" With a blink of an eye, he jumped up to whap both Digimon's hats straight backwards at the same time, knocking said hats to the floor with an unceremonious 'flop' and a yowl from Witchmon's ghostly cat.

FlaWizarmon blinked before he straightened up to look at Witchmon. "M'dear, I think we just got told."

Witchmon sighed as her ghost cat flew up around her shoulders. "Perhaps we should've put a little more consideration into the half of the conversation we couldn't hear."

"Oh, and go ahead and prank those two somehow while you're at it," Keiko added merrily as she gestured to Miyako and Kudamon with a wide smile, no longer keeping quiet. "They don't have hats to knock off, you know."

"Wait, what?" Miyako asked as she stared at Keiko, blinking.

V-mon turned to Miyako and Kudamon with a mischievous grin on his face, tail wagging. "I'll think of something~!"

Keiko grinned at Miyako and wagged a chiding finger. "Didn't you know it's rude to listen in on private conversations?"

Miyako blinked before her expression deadpanned. "Says the ghost who's been spying on us."

"Ghosts don't have that rule," Keiko said sweetly. "One of the few privileges of being dead."

"I'm not afraid," Kudamon said with a huff. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Something involving poop," V-mon said, 'innocently'.

Kudamon paused at that before she bristled. "D-d-don't you dare! Gross, gross, gross!"

"Okay, no," Miyako said as she pointed at Keiko. She then redirected her finger at V-mon. "And secondly _no_. No, no, no, _hell_ no! _"_

"No poop!" Mimi shrieked, the single word bringing her attention to the conversation with laser-like focus. "If you've got to throw a prank, it can't have poop! I won't allow it!"

"That's right," Miyako said. A moment later, she caught up with the rest of what Mimi said. "Wait…"

Palmon felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of her face as she side-eyed her partner. "Mimi…"

Keiko folded her hands demurely behind her back, her expression cheerful and innocent. "I was actually thinking more along the lines of startling them when they weren't expecting it, but don't let me tell you how to have fun, V-mon."

V-mon's expression was wicked as his tail wagged vigorously behind him. "Who knows what can happen when you're not around to stop meeee~?"

Nyamon chuckled as she gave a wry shake of her head.

Takeru glanced sideways to Hikari. "I think… we've gone so far off topic that we're completely off the rails at this point."

Hikari nodded before dropping her voice to a whisper. "I know, but Keiko seems so happy right now… I feel bad having to stop it." She paused for a moment, her gaze straying to Daisuke. "And it seems like she's trying to help Daisuke out too." She couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. If Keiko could so easily forgive Daisuke for hurting Ken, what did that say about her and the sickly resentment that still pooled inside her heart?

"Well, on _that_ lovely and _ominous_ note… it's your turn, my dear~!" FlaWizarmon said as he grinned at Witchmon, placing his hat back on his head.

Witchmon smiled, throwing her arms open wide. "Gather 'round, dearies. I'll take you to the Crystal Tower's living area." She winked. "I'm sure you'll find plenty of games and food there to occupy yourselves with while you wait for the rest of us to finish up down here."

"I understand," Iori said. However, as he moved to walk past Miyako, she quickly latched onto his arm and leaned in close.

"Watch him for me!" Miyako said, her voice low. "Don't let him out of your sight!"

"That's an order!" Kudamon said as she landed on her partner's head, fur bristled. "No poop!"

Iori's cheek quirked in to a lopsided grin. "I understand. No poop."

"He won't leave my sights!" Ryudamon said firmly as he stood at attention.

"That's what yooooou think," V-mon chirped as he smugly stood beside Witchmon, then turned up to grin at Daisuke mischievously. "Don't ever underestimate Daisuke, _or_ me!"

Daisuke knew he shouldn't encourage V-mon's perchance to prank with poop, which was why he hid his smile behind his hand.

"Oh, Mimi!" Sora said as she clapped her hands together, interrupting the conversation. "That means you could get a better look around the tower, and maybe even find something that might help us!"

Mimi's eyes lit up at the idea, and she nodded, eager to feel as though she was contributing something while her friends were going on a terrible mission. "Great idea, Sora! We can see if there's any other Digimon around here who might know anything. Cassandramon was kind of creepy, but she might want to talk to us some more."

FlaWizarmon's cheek twitched before he turned to Mimi. "If yer gonna do that, just be careful when talkin' to her, Purity Darlin'. You don't know what she's up to, an' she'll only tell you what she wants you to know."

"Huh?" Mimi blinked at FlaWizarmon, taken aback. "What do you mean?"

FlaWizarmon paused as he pressed his fingertips together, bringing his hands to his mouth. "Darlin', she's a _seer_. She sees glimpses of the future - _all_ futures."

"Really?" Palmon asked, with a blink.

" _Really_ ," FlaWizarmon said. "And she always has, even back then."

"L-Lady Cassandramon is known as the Seer of Huanglongmon!" Monodramon chirped, from the doorway. "T-that was why Lord Zhuqiaomon wanted to speak to her so badly!"

"How is that even possible?" Koshiro asked, utterly baffled. "I mean, computer programs can go through the possibilities of variables, but that's not the same as predicting the future."

"Miracles," Nyamon replied. "Miracles can do _anything_."

Taichi frowned, crossing his arms in front of himself as he raised an eyebrow at the dark feline. "In other words, Miracles is probably why all the crazy impossible stuff with the Digital World even happens, right?"

Nyamon gave a nod. "Pretty much. It even allowed Ryo to evolve Digimon that _weren't_ his partners. It's an incredible - and very unpredictable - power."

"So Cassandramon can see the future," Black Tailmon said. "That seems like all the more reason to talk to her, doesn't it?"

"It won't do you no good," FlaWizarmon muttered, clenching his fists.

"Why?" Takeru asked, blinking.

For a moment, FlaWizarmon said nothing. "'Cuz Cassandramon would have known - _must_ have known - what would happen to Ryo at the Battlefield Memorial," he finally spat out tersely. " _And_ to Lady Keiko."

Hikari froze at that. "What?"

FlaWizarmon turned to Hikari, his expression full of a hatred that burned so intently it threatened to consume him. "And she did _nothing_ to stop it."

Hikari's eyes widened, even as her pupils shrank to mere dots.

"She let Lady Keiko _die_!" Witchmon seethed as she clenched her fists together, her ghost cat howling in fury atop her head. "She let _everyone_ die!"

In her mind's eye, Hikari saw that glimpse of Keiko's fragmented, burnt form. Although she did not have a lot of medical knowledge when it came to injuries, she knew that even a minor burn was exceedingly painful. Unthinkingly, she turned to Keiko, who stood deceptively whole, but transparent.

Keiko was rigid as a statue, her fists clenched tight at her sides. She said nothing, but it was clear by her expression that such news did not surprise her in the slightest. Beside her, Nyamon's bristled fur and steely stare at the floor only confirmed it.

"Oh… oh Keiko," Hikari breathed. Caught up on instinct, she moved to hug Keiko, but all she felt was cold that seeped into her bones as her arms went right through the ghost girl. She jerked back, berating herself for forgetting such an obvious thing when the reminder was sure to only cause Keiko even more pain. Just the thought of it brought tears to her eyes.

Keiko let out a breathless sigh as she untensed a little and moved her arms around Hikari in a pantomime of a hug. "Stop it. You didn't have anything to do with it." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. " _You_ didn't know."

"If that's true, that's all the more reason to speak to her," Iori said, his expression hard even as his own eyes blazed. "We must ask her to explain herself."

"She won't answer you," FlaWizarmon said with a humorless chuckle. "She don't answer _anyone_."

"That is not the point," Iori said, his fists clenched. "It is a question that must be asked… it must be _voiced_."

Miyako gnawed on a fingernail, her expression twisted up, before she caught herself and tucked her arms against her chest. "Sounds like something you can do while the rest of us are here." She hesitated a moment, her lips curled in a sour shape. "Just be careful. If that Digimon is playing chess master, she might not think twice about seeing us as pawns to get knocked off the board when it suits her."

"'Xactly," FlaWizarmon said, with a savage nod.

"Cassandramon isn't shy about letting us know she's manipulating us either," Witchmon said, showing off her sharp teeth in a sneer.

"Wait, wait, hold on," Daisuke said as his hands went up to touch his head. "You're telling me… she knows shit like this is gonna happen and doesn't bother warning anyone!? The whole thing with the orb and Hikari and powering up Millenniumon and killing Keiko and Ryo and Ken going crazy and me freaking out and creating Armagemon?!"

Witchmon raised an eyebrow at Daisuke before glancing at FlaWizarmon out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes," FlaWizarmon said as he turned to Daisuke, expression still fierce. "And she knew that Wormmon would be killed, and that _this_ …" He swept his hand towards Narakumon. "…would happen to Narakumon as a result." He pointed his hand downward, his face twisting in a snarl. "She - knew - _everything_!"

"What the hell!" Taichi shouted, righteous anger welling up inside of him. "Whose side is she supposed to be on!?"

"Why didn't she do anything to stop any of that!?" Daisuke snapped at the same time, his voice unintentionally colliding with Taichi's.

Koshiro felt his uneasiness grow at this new information, which immediately brought forth a myriad of terrifying possibilities to his mind. "Is she really supposed to be on the side of the DigiGods and the Digital World?"

"Tenraimon had faith in her," Nyamon said, stiffly. "But who can _really_ say?"

"There are only three things about Cassandramon that we know to be true," Witchmon said darkly, her long sharp fingers curling around the handle of her broom. "Her loyalty to Huanglongmon will never waver, she knows how to manipulate _anyone_ to walk whatever path to the future she directs, and she always chooses the path that will lead to what she believes is the 'best' future… no matter how bloody the path is."

V-mon raised his clenched fists as he bared his teeth. The very idea that Daisuke's suffering could've been avoided - and _wasn't_ \- and in fact was allowed to happen filled him with a fury he had never felt before. "I'm gonna… I'm gonna get her! I'm gonna make her regret everything she's done!"

Takeru trembled slightly as he gathered his thoughts before he gave a shake of his head. "Which means she's probably not at the Crystal Tower anymore."

"What makes you say that?" Yamato asked.

"If she can really see the future, she would have known that you'd tell us all this," Takeru said as he turned to FlaWizarmon and Witchmon, who nodded in response. "Which means she will try to avoid us."

"You say that as if that _Digimon_ has even a shred of regret or shame in her body," FlaWizarmon growled. "Let me tell you - she doesn't. She doesn't care what you think about her. She may even be there right now, _waiting_ for ya'll."

"Well, then we should not keep her waiting any longer," Iori said as he turned to Witchmon. "Witchmon, if you would, please? There is a conversation that needs to happen."

Witchmon nodded. "As you say, dearie."

Hikari knelt down in front of Black Tailmon and hugged her partner tightly. "Keep everyone safe for me," she murmured. "Including yourself."

"I will," Black Tailmon said as she returned the embrace. "And you do the same." She held onto that moment and her partner for as long as she could before she stepped back and readied herself to march into the bowels of hell.

Miyako clenched her teeth then grabbed Daisuke by the shoulder and yanked him close so she could whisper quickly in his ear. "Keep an eye on Iori for me and don't just believe everything Cassandramon says or rise to any bait from her if you do see her again."

Daisuke stared at Miyako, taken aback by her rushed order, but had no chance to respond before Witchmon swept him and the rest who were leaving up in her cloak. A moment later, they were gone.

* * *

The glittering interior of the Crystal Tower quickly replaced that of the solemn Temple of Darkness, leaving a rather strong juxtaposition for the disoriented trio and their Digimon. As they gathered their bearings, glancing around at each other and the massive room they had appeared in, Witchmon spared only a moment to glance around suspiciously before disappearing within her cloak once more.

While Iori noticed a wide assortment of entertainment - all made of crystal, naturally - around them, ranging from board games and toys to even what appeared to be a television set, the Chosen of Honor had no interest in any of them. Instead, he was looking for something, or rather _someone_ , else entirely. And to his great irritation, it seemed that they were completely absent.

"Cassandramon is not here," Iori said, his voice hard. "Takeru was right. She knew we were coming and-"

"…Remained out of view," a female voice finished for him, causing the Chosen Children and their partners to jump and whip about to the source. Cassandramon entered the room through the doorway, her expression serene. "So that Witchmon would not notice her and thus return to the others quickly, as expected."

Mimi clasped her hands to her chest, as if trying to push her heart back into place after being so startled. "I-it's-!"

"It's _you_!" Palmon said as she pointed.

"Yes," Cassandramon said, with no change to her demeanor or expression. "It is me."

Iori stared at Cassandramon before his expression hardened. "So, it is true. You knew they would tell us, and that they would send us back."

"I know many things," Cassandramon replied. "I see many things."

"Like Keiko and Ryo dying?" Daisuke snapped, his expression harsh. "Or Ken becoming the Digimon Kaiser, or Wormmon getting turned into Armagemon, and he and Tailmon and all those other Digimon getting killed?" Without waiting for an answer, his temper exploded. "If you could see that shit happening, why didn't you try to stop it!?"

Cassandramon tilted her head to the side as she stared at Daisuke. "Is it my responsibility to protect you from your mistakes?"

Daisuke flinched back as though struck. He tried to respond, but nothing came.

"What is that supposed to mean?!" V-mon demanded as he moved in front of his partner, glaring furiously at Cassandramon.

"Wormmon would still be alive if not for you," Cassandramon replied, all three of her eyes focusing exclusively on Daisuke with an unnatural intensity. "Does my decision to not interfere absolve you of responsibility for your actions? Is his blood no longer on your hands?"

Daisuke staggered back a step, then another. He nearly took a third when he forced himself to stop, to say _something_. "I-I…"

"Wormmon would also be alive if you had said something!" V-mon snapped.

"Would he?" Cassandramon asked as she tilted her head in the other direction. "Would you have listened to me? You did not listen to Hikari."

Daisuke clutched his chest, trembling, as his head sunk low.

Hikari hated that a small part of her felt vindicated by Cassandramon's words. She took that feeling and forged it into a fire that pushed her to step forward and meet Cassandramon's gaze. "That's enough. Daisuke… Daisuke's been through enough."

Despite the pain in his heart, Daisuke felt it ease just a fraction. "Hikari…"

"Has he?" Cassandramon asked as she met Hikari's gaze. "Would you say it's as much as he has put the Chosen of Kindness through? Would you say it compares to even a fraction of his suffering?" As she spoke, she turned her attention back to Daisuke with laser-guided focus.

"Why you-!" V-mon snarled as he began to pinwheel his arms furiously. " _You_ -!"

Mimi suddenly got between Daisuke and Cassandramon, fixing the tall, stone-faced Digimon a fierce glare. "Stop it! Stop picking on Daisuke right now!"

"That's enough!" Iori barked, his fierce eyes fixed piercingly on Cassandramon.

"That's right!" Ryudamon said as he crouched, tail whapping the ground behind him. "Listen to I-o-ri!"

Hikari took a deep breath and straightened her back as she glared up at Cassandramon. "It doesn't matter who is hurting more than who. No one should be hurting at all. Daisuke knows what he did was wrong, and he wants to make amends for it. _That's_ what's important."

Cassandramon finally tore her gaze away from Daisuke to meet Hikari's, showing no outward reaction even under her intense stare. "I agree."

"I can see why FlaWizarmon and Witchmon don't like her," Palmon muttered as she turned to Mimi, her face twisted in a sour grimace.

Mimi nodded, her cheeks puffing out in an irritable huff.

"So you don't deny it, then?" Iori asked. "That you knew about Keiko and Ryo, and what would happen?"

"I don't deny anything," Cassandramon said as she pressed her fingertips together in a steeple. "I saw many outcomes - including the current one."

"So you let Keiko die!?" Iori demanded, even his usually calm demeanor cracking. "You let _everyone_ die!?"

"Everyone did not die," Cassandramon replied. "There were several survivors."

Iori felt his cheek twitch, his jaw clenching. It took everything he had not to violently retort to the dragon Digimon's use of semantics, as if it in any way changed the situation at hand.

Such a casual answer shook Hikari to her core. "Why…? Why would you…?"

"What about Kyoumon!?" Palmon demanded as she stepped towards Cassandramon.

"He died after the battle," Cassandramon said as she owlishly stared down at Palmon, who glared back as she began to tremble. "Not during it."

"What do you even want!?" Mimi asked, tears forming in her eyes even as she kept herself firm. More and more it became clear that there was no reasoning with such a heartless Digimon. "Were you waiting just to taunt us!?"

"No, I was not," Cassandramon replied, then turned on her heel and slowly walked towards the doorway. "Follow me."

"And why would we even _think_ of following you!?" V-mon demanded as his tail lashed about behind him furiously.

Cassandramon stopped in the doorway and glanced back to the Chosen Children. "Because I am taking you to the room of Ken Ichijouji."

* * *

To say that the Chosen were reluctant to leave the Temple of Darkness was putting it mildly. In spite of this looming dread, the Chosen understood that they had a mission to complete, and that required them to venture back in to the Dark World - to the very heart of the Dark Ocean itself.

True to expectations, when the Darkness Chosen stepped out of the temple, the Dark Ocean rushed backwards, leaving behind a path far more broken than before, until it reached its sandy borders once more. However, its lashing waves clawing at the land seemed far more angry than subdued, as if acutely aware that its prize had escaped, and the rumbles of countless voices seemed ever the more aggressive as its waters churned before them.

"So I guess now's the time," Takeru muttered, lingering beside his brother even as he stared out at the ocean. He couldn't help but feel his skin crawl, as if he was being sized up by dozens of hungry eyes. The faint murmuring of distant voices, shrieking and shouting, was a hauntingly familiar reminder of what could happen if the Dark Ocean reached them.

"What _exactly_ are we supposed to be doing now?" Yamato asked as he turned his head just enough to eye Monodramon, noting how uneasy their supposed guide looked as he too stared out at the vast water of nightmares. "Besides staring into the lion's den, I mean."

"I'm also a bit curious," Nyamon said as she peered down at Monodramon, who was oblivious to her scrutiny. "What exactly does Zhuqiaomon think he's going to accomplish that even Narakumon couldn't?"

Monodramon blinked, startled out of his stupor, before he turned to see Yamato and the others staring at him. He blushed lightly before he gave himself a shake. "R-right! I… it's up to me, now!"

"This should be good," FlaWizarmon muttered out of the corner of his mouth to Witchmon as he crossed his arms.

"I'll bet you a slice of cake that it's something to do with fire," Witchmon said lightly as she nudged FlaWizarmon's shoulder with her elbow. "Zhuqiaomon can never resist the chance to show off his power."

Monodramon reached his claws up to press them against his forehead, around the gem nestled there. Before the Chosen's and assembled Digimon's very eyes, the gem began to glow gold - as did the crest of Miracles around his neck.

The light intensified before it suddenly burst forth like a beam, surging from the gem straight into the Dark Ocean itself. The second the light touched the water, it spread rapidly, turning black to gold. The instant the change began, the water churned violently with the sound of several screams ranging from fear to pure rage.

While the water was spinning slowly at first, it soon intensified. The waves grew rough, thrashing about violently as the ocean itself appeared to be spinning like a golden current within the blackness. Suddenly, the water shot upwards in a great waterspout that stretched high into the overcast sky.

As the waterspout grew, something began to form within it. A golden light in the shape of a small dragon appeared within the swirling water, though seemingly unaffected by the torrent even as it grew massive in size. Curled in a fetal position, the glowing form trembled for a moment before it suddenly threw its head backwards and let out a piercing scream that burst not only itself but the waterspout as well. Water flew in all directions as the ocean parted in all directions, like the tides receding. However, unlike normal tides, it instead carved a path straight down in to the very depths of the Dark Ocean itself, the water seemingly held back by golden walls.

FlaWizarmon stared blankly at the scene before him before he finally found his voice. "...The hell just happened."

Nyamon outright gawked, her pupils like mere dots as her ears canted back and her fur bristled all along her spine.

Keiko stared at the spectacle, disbelieving. No matter how long she looked at it, she simply couldn't parse the scene of the unruly Dark Ocean not only being parted neatly to create a path into its depths but to be held rigidly black by golden light that resisted not only the water's strength but its taint as well.

Even Monodramon appeared surprised by what had happened, gaping out at the sight before him as the gem on his brow and the Crest of Miracles around his neck both continued to glow gold. However, he quickly recovered with a shake of his head before he turned to smile brightly at the stunned Chosen Children. "L-Lord Zhuqiaomon is leading the way! L-l-let's go find Lord Ryo!"

Taichi's jaw hung open for a long time before he finally let out a low whistle. "Okay, _that_ is cool."

"Positively biblical," Miyako muttered, though she was too distracted to allow herself to be awed. In spite of herself, her thoughts kept straying back to Iori.

Kudamon looked down at her partner before she hovered down to drape her long body across Miyako's shoulders. "If you're that worried, we could still go back, you know."

"No way," Miyako said without hesitation, her eyes never straying from the ocean. "I'm needed here."

"Well, then," Kudamon said. "Let's get going! The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get the hell outta here!"

"Agreed," Black Tailmon said with a snap of her tail. "We've delayed long enough."

Taichi gave a sharp nod before he clenched his fist, holding it upwards. "Let's go, everyone!"


	8. Chapter 8

There was something quite odd about walking along the bottom of the Dark Ocean, the location itself notwithstanding. When thinking of an ocean floor, one would expect to see seashells, seaweed, coral, or even stranded sea life flopping about due to the sudden loss of water. Instead, there was nothing but sand - gray, unending sand sloping gently ever downward until the horizon was lost in an indistinct blur of gray and gold.

It only served as a grim reminder of what they were dealing with.

"There's nothing at all. Everything looks the same," Sora muttered. "If we didn't have a path telling us exactly where to go, it'd be so easy to get lost."

"I'm guessing that you've never been down here," Yamato said as he glanced at Keiko and Nyamon, both of whom were walking alongside the group. The fact that the two had decided to join them in their mission felt so natural that he didn't even bother to question it. Even the fact that they were ghosts seemed less and less unsettling the more time he spent around them.

"Actually, I have," Nyamon said with a shake of her head. "I make it a point to search the ocean every day, for as long as I can stand it."

Jou blinked at that before turning his head to look at Nyamon. "Wait, what?"

"I've been looking for Ryo," Nyamon said as she turned her head to meet Jou's gaze. "Well, _trying_ to look for Ryo. As Sora mentioned, it's impossible to tell where you're going and where you've been… and your senses are usually being bombarded by the dead, which makes it even harder. But I still had to try… but it was usually just walking around aimlessly."

"B-but, it's the Dark Ocean!" Jou said as he gave a wide gesture to the water that was currently being held at bay. "You actually went into the Dark Ocean!?"

"It doesn't affect me," Nyamon said with a flick of her ear. "And not just because I'm dead - no Darkness Digimon can be tainted. It's just an ocean to me - a screeching, spiteful ocean."

"So, wait, you're saying I actually _could_ go swimming in the Dark Ocean?" MarinDevimon asked as he tilted his monstrous head, a hint of a mischievous smile curving his toothy mouth.

Keiko gave MarinDevimon an appraising look. "With that evolution and confidence? Yes." She started to frown as she glanced at her partner. "But it will _not_ be pleasant."

"You're more than welcome to, if you're that eager to have vengeful spirits of dead Digimon screaming in your ear about how unfair it is that you're alive and they're not," Nyamon said. "But it seems to me that following our nice path out here where they apparently can't reach would be better."

The image was enough to dampen MarinDevimon's enthusiasm towards the idea. "...Yeah," he said after a significant pause. "I think that's one experience I'm _fine_ missing out on."

Nyamon gave a nod with a small, wry smile on her face. "Good idea."

"So, where exactly is it taking us?" Takeru asked as he watched Monodramon head the way, the dragon's gem and the crest of Miracles both still glowing brightly. "Is Zeed Millenniumon really just… hiding on the bottom of the Dark Ocean, with _Ryo_? How would he not _drown_?"

"Those are some _very_ good questions," Black Tailmon said. "Unfortunately, the only one to ask would be Zeed - and I don't think anyone wants to talk to _him_."

Taichi's expression was grim as he kept sharp watch on their surroundings, before he paused when he noticed Koshiro walking while holding his laptop out. "What's up, Koshiro?"

Koshiro glanced over his shoulder at the Chosen of Courage. "I'm running a charting program. That way, if we lose the path, we can find our way out."

"Koshiro, if we lose our path, we'll be underwater," Blade Kuwagamon said.

Koshiro paused at that, then grimaced. "Uh, well…"

"Naw, it's still a very good idea," FlaWizarmon said, with a wave of his hand. "Sure, it won't do no good _then_ but it don't mean it'd _never_ do you any good."

"What he's trying to say, dearie, is to not be discouraged," Witchmon said. "It never hurts to have as many plans in place as possible."

Koshiro smiled awkwardly at that as he felt a rush of relief but also embarrassment at the praise he was receiving. "R-right! That's what I think, too."

Keiko shook her head slowly. "The water of the Dark Ocean isn't like normal water anyway. You can breathe in it just fine if you need to. The Dark Ocean was meant to be a trial, not an actual ocean."

"What do you mean by that?" Koshiro asked, his eyes alight with eager curiosity as he turned to Keiko, already taking notes on his laptop.

Keiko paused for a moment, her gaze scanning the area around them before she gestured vaguely off in some direction beyond one of the golden walls. "Mama's domain is across the ocean. When Digimon die, they are supposed to sail across the ocean to reach her at the top of the Crystal Tower. If they reach there, they will be reborn."

"Sailing… to the top of the tower?" Taichi repeated, staring at Keiko oddly, unable to wrap his head around it.

"Or swimming," Keiko added helpfully. "It depended on how the Digimon chose to travel."

Takeru stared blankly at Keiko before shaking her head. "That's the Digital World for you."

Koshiro let out an awkward chuckle even as inside part of him screamed at the impossibility of it. "I guess so…"

"The Dark Ocean is a trial," Keiko continued, as though the others weren't giving her odd looks. "If you try to cross it with a heart full of sin, you'll sink to the bottom and then be washed back onto the shore. It was supposed to be that you could only be reborn after you've reflected on your evil actions and made amends for them in the Dark World. That's what the abandoned city was for… but after the Dark Ocean was tainted…"

"Then it couldn't be used anymore," Koshiro concluded, his mind spinning with possibilities. "So what does this mean for the Digimon who were reborn? Is there another way for Digimon to cross the ocean to Tenraimon's world? There has to be some way there, otherwise none of the Digimon would be able to be reborn. Did the entire coding for the process get rewritten?"

Keiko sighed without breath and nodded. "Papa couldn't fix the Dark Ocean, and crossing it was too dangerous, so he and Mama overwrote part of the code. Now, Digimon are immediately reborn without being judged. That's why I had to spend so much time tracking down evil Digimon and killing them all the time back when I was alive." She sighed again and shook her head. "Making them suffer the pain of death and the frustration of starting over from scratch was the best we could do to make them stop doing evil things, at least for a little while, but most of them just swore vengeance upon me instead of reflecting on _why_ the gods sent me to kill them."

"Some just refuse to learn, no matter how many times they were killed," Nyamon said with a sigh. "There was a particularly stupid Digimon named Etemon that couldn't get the hint. He was as tenacious as a cockroach."

"Etemon?!" Taichi blurted out. "You fought that weirdo too?"

Keiko's mouth contorted into a sour expression. "Way too many times. Listening to him talk, or worse, _sing_ was the worst part of dealing with that idiot."

Taichi and the rest of the Chosen shuddered at the memory of Etemon's horrific caterwauling. "No argument here."

The conversation wound down from there, reduced to Koshiro questioning Keiko about the specifics of the code in increasing detail when it became apparent that the spirit was familiar with the coding of the Digital World. The rest of the Chosen Children were quickly lost in the technical minutia, with only the pair's partners and a distracted Miyako to occasionally add a word in here and there.

Soon enough, even that discussion petered out as the quiet oppression of the Dark Ocean surrounding them on all sides weighed down on the Chosen. An uneasy quiet settled in on their continued trek through the path carved by the Crest of Miracles, heading further and further away from shore as they ventured deep in to the depths of the Dark Ocean. While someone would occasionally attempt to make some light conversation to chase away the distant whispers and waves that surrounded them, as time ticked onwards, the morale slowly began to tick away as the children and their partners saw nothing new. All of their surroundings looked the same, and it felt as if they had lost track of even time itself, with no way of seeing how far they had come or how far they had left.

There was nothing but gray, dreary sand and walls of gold stretching ever onward.

Kudamon grimaced, her face twisted in an impatient scowl as she hovered over her partner, before she let out a thin whine. With a sudden burst of energy, she spun about violently in a tantrum. "Holy crap, come on, come on, come _on_ already!" She twirled about before she flopped downward onto the ground, furiously kicking up the sand. "How far are we _going_!?"

"The Dark Ocean is vast," Nyamon said. "There's really no telling how far we might go, and if we can even reach there without several _days_ of walking."

"Days!?" Yamato whirled around, horrified by the revelation. "You think this could take _days_!?"

"The Dark Ocean is an _ocean_ , Friendship-kun," FlaWizarmon said as he quirked an eyebrow. While he couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, it was easy enough to tell what was being said. "How big are yer oceans on Earth?"

Yamato paused at that, then grimaced, as he felt like kicking himself for being so foolish. "We didn't even consider that, did we?"

Takeru frowned before he looked to his partner. "Devidramon, how about we go flying ahead to see if we can spot anything?"

"You got it, Takeru," DeviDramon said with a nod before he crouched down, allowing his partner to climb aboard before he quickly took to the sky.

"That's a good idea," Gabumon said. "Yamato, I could evolve and carry you as well."

"Right, let's do it," Yamato said as he watched Takeru, his expression grim. He wasn't about to let his brother go off on his own as a scout. He waited only a moment for Gabumon to warp evolve to MetalGarurumon before he quickly climbed on his partner's back to take after the Chosen of Hope.

"I'm sorry, Taichi," Lavorvomon said, drooping. He gave a meaningful look towards his spikes along his back, which glowed like miniature volcanoes preparing to erupt. "I don't think you should ride on me like this."

"That's fine, buddy," Taichi said as he reached out to gently pat his partner on the snout, away from the more dangerously hot areas. "Someone has to stay back and guard the others."

A flash of evolution signalled Piyomon's own change to Garudamon. She flexed her arms as she grinned at Lavarvomon. "We'll watch over everyone, so don't worry."

"Do you know how far we'll go, Monodramon?" Sora asked as she turned to their guide.

Monodramon paused, the dragon Digimon blinking before he drooped, pressing his claw tips together. "I-I'm sorry, I… don't really know. Lord Zhuqiaomon didn't tell me."

"What a surprise," FlaWizarmon said with a snort.

"Well," Miyako said as she reached up to adjust her glasses. "We might want to discuss what we'll do if this _is_ a longer trip than we expected."

"We'll have to email our parents," Jou said nervously. "Let them know we'll be gone for a while so they can call our schools." He paused before he patted his bag. "We'll have to worry about provisions, too. I packed some, but definitely not enough for more than a day, if we ration."

The other Chosen glanced at each other uneasily as it slowly dawned on them that they weren't nearly as prepared as they thought they were. In the back, FlaWizarmon and Witchmon watched the Chosen Children, their expressions wry.

"It kind of makes you think, don't it?" FlaWizarmon asked as he glanced to Witchmon. "Lady Keiko had to think of all this stuff, but these ones never had to. I guess it's a growin' experience."

"You can't really blame them," Witchmon said as she pressed her hands together. "It's not as if they ever had anyone to guide them, like Lady Keiko or even Ryo and Ken-chan did. They've done a pretty good job figuring this stuff out on their own."

"True that," FlaWizarmon said with a shrug.

All further conversation was suddenly cut off by the sight of Yamato and Takeru returning, landing before the other Chosen Children as their partners kicked up sand around them upon impact.

"That was quick," Taichi said with a blink.

"Does that mean you saw something?" Sora asked hopefully.

" _Other_ than sand, sand, and more sand?" Kudamon asked, her cynical tone expressing her doubts clearly.

"Yeah, definitely," Yamato said as he stayed atop MetalGarurumon. "And you're not going to believe this."

Takeru turned to point straight ahead, even as he turned to the others with pure bewilderment on his face.

"A city! There's a _city_ down here!"

* * *

Daisuke, Iori, Hikari, Mimi didn't know what to expect when Cassandramon said she would be taking them to Ken's room. With such a build up and their own expectations, it felt like surely the place must have been as extraordinary as the rest of the Crystal Tower. However, now that they were actively looking inside the room, they were stunned to see how _ordinary_ it looked - it wasn't made of crystal at all, its inside furnishings looking like something they'd see from a nice bedroom in a hotel.

Mimi wasn't sure if she felt disappointed or even more bewildered. "It's so… normal."

"The intent was to allow the Chosen Children to feel as comfortable as possible," Cassandramon said. "In surroundings that didn't immediately remind them of their otherworldly situation."

"Their situation?" Iori repeated slowly as he turned to stare at Cassandramon.

"There were rooms set aside for you all as well," Cassandramon said, without looking at Iori. "Though they have gone unused."

Daisuke looked around at Ken's bedroom. There was nothing he could see that stood out to him as belonging to Ken in particular, but still he couldn't help but feel a keen sense of interest. "What, were we all supposed to live here or something?"

"Yes," Cassandramon replied. "Or at the very least, you would be able to use this place to rest, and be taken care of."

"We definitely could've used this during our first adventure," Palmon said as she looked over the bed, then back to Mimi. "Instead of having to sleep on the ground."

Mimi nodded vigorously. "Constantly trying to find food and a safe place to sleep was just awful! Not to mention we could barely ever get a _bath_! Ick!"

"The Digimon named Bokomon would cook meals for the Chosen of Darkness, Miracles, and Kindness," Cassandramon said. "He continued to cook for Ken Ichijouji after their adventures, when his parents denied him food as punishment for not meeting their expectations."

Iori frowned at that. "Did… Ken eat here often?"

"Yes," Cassandramon said as she finally turned to Iori, her expression unreadable. "Ken Ichijouji often failed to meet his parents' expectations."

Hikari felt a twinge of pain in her heart. She thought back to her own dealings with Ken's parents and it didn't take much to imagine how they might have behaved towards their own son. It was enough to make her feel a surge of uncharacteristic _fury_ at them and a decided lack of good will.

Daisuke cringed deeply inside, but he managed to only show it in a twitch on the outside. He knew that feeling well. Even though things were far better between him and his parents now, it wasn't all that long ago that they treated him like a hopeless, violent idiot.

V-mon glanced at Daisuke before he looked away, scowling. He gave a huff before he turned to glare up at Cassandramon, arms crossed. "So why did you bring us here? There's nothing here to see!"

"Have you looked under the bed?" Cassandramon asked as she tilted her head, peering down at V-mon.

V-mon paused, blinking. "Huh?"

Cassandramon continued to stare down at V-mon, her expression unchanging. The small dragon Digimon stared back before he began to grow uncomfortable, then glanced back to the bed. Shifting his glance between Cassandramon and the comfortable looking piece of furniture, V-mon hesitantly approached Ken's bed before peering under it. He immediately stopped as his eyes widened before he suddenly dropped to his stomach, crawling underneath it.

"There's something here!" V-mon shouted, his voice muffled by the bed.

Daisuke's first thought was of the magazines he hid under his mattress and his cheeks turned pink. "W-wait a sec, V-mon!"

"Huh?" Mimi turned to stare at Daisuke, noting not only his expression but also the strange one on Iori's face. "What's wrong?"

"I-it is nothing," Iori said quickly. A quick glance to Daisuke confirmed that the Chosen of Honor shared his thoughts, and was all the more mortified for Ken's sake. "Just… V-mon, could you please confirm what you found first?"

"It's a box!" V-mon chirped. "I'm bringing it out!"

Iori grimaced. "W-we should check the contents first - _discreetly_. It is, after all, Ken's personal property. It could contain something… private."

"Private?" Palmon asked. "Like what?"

"Guy stuff!" Daisuke blurted out, trying and failing to appear casual. "Just… just guy stuff. You… you girls probably wouldn't understand, so just let us check first, okay?"

"Guy stuff?" Hikari repeated slowly, confusion clear on her face. She vaguely recalled Taichi making a similar comment once before, when she had been helping their mother gather dirty laundry to wash. The pure _panic_ that had overcome him when he saw her kneeling down to reach for a seemingly discarded sock stood out firmly in her mind. She never understood what exactly had happened, beyond that it had caused her brother to _always_ clean his room whenever asked from that moment forward.

Mimi squinted her eye at the nervous boys and put her hands on her hips. "What kind of 'guy stuff' are you two thinking about?"

"Pornographic magazines," Cassandramon said, blithely.

The response was an explosion of embarrassed blushing as Mimi and Hikari gawked at Casandramon. They then quickly turned to stare at Daisuke and Iori, who jerked nervously and they looked anywhere but at the ladies in what was the most pathetic pretense of innocence the two had ever seen.

"Daisuke!" V-mon said as he came back out from the bed, holding the box. He held up the lid as he looked up at his partner. "There are pictures in here, plus some other stuff!"

Mimi snatched the box before Daisuke had a chance to respond, her mortification turning to irritation that demanded that she take action. "Let me see that!"

"Ah, that…!" Iori began before quickly losing his voice, looking away when Mimi gave him a furious stare before returning her attention to the box.

Rather than seeing magazines packed with nudity, Mimi was greeted by pictures of Ken. However, they weren't just of Ken, but of Ryo and Keiko as well. They were very candid pictures, such as Ryo looking abashed over something, Keiko smiling at the camera, and one of them eating at what Mimi immediately recognized as the pizzeria Ken introduced them to with Nyamon stuffing a whole slice in her mouth while the others looked on in laughter. There were pictures of Kyoumon, FlaWizarmon, and Witchmon, but also startlingly images of Leomon as well. She saw what appeared to be two angels, an armored one with black wings and the other white with robes, and even a picture of Neemon with a cream-colored Kappa-like Digimon wearing a pink belly-band. Right on the top was a picture of Ken with an older child that Mimi didn't recognize - a stern-looking boy with wild dark purple hair and glasses.

"What is it, Mimi?" Palmon asked, noting the odd expression on her partner's face. "What do you see?"

The embarrassed agitation instantly disappeared as Mimi looked over the photographs, her heart suddenly wrenched in a painful vice. "Oh… Ken."

At seeing Mimi's reaction, Hikari, Daisuke, and Iori drew closer to peer into the box. The previous atmosphere completely evaporated, replaced with a far more sober one as they were greeted by the pictures - memories of the things Ken had lost.

Hikari's eyes stung as she looked from one cheerful memory captured on film to the next. Unthinkingly she brought a hand to her chest and squeezed, as though it would somehow alleviate the tightness gripping her heart.

"This is… unfortunate," Iori said, at a loss for words.

Daisuke furrowed his brow as he stared at the picture of the strange boy with a sense of déjà vu. "Who's _that_?"

"That would be Osamu, Ken's older brother," Iori said. "The one that… did not survive the car accident." He recognized the boy immediately from all the research Miyako had done regarding Ken, both before and after he was exposed.

Daisuke flinched at the news, remembering all too clearly the website Miyako had showed them, and kicking himself for not realizing it. He only now remembered the tiny photograph a young Ken had been holding in the newspaper photo. Even if he had been more preoccupied with Ken's injuries and obvious grief in the shot, he chided himself that he should have done better in remembering the face of the other boy's deceased brother.

Palmon drooped, tears in her eyes. "Mimi..."

Mimi wiped at her eyes after setting the box down onto the bed, hugging Palmon close immediately after. Palmon returned the gesture, gripping her partner tightly.

"That box contains all the painful things that Ken Ichijouji could not bear to keep with him, yet could not bear to throw away," Cassandramon said from behind the Chosen Children. "He gave them all to Wormmon, to remove from his sight."

"I see," Iori murmured softly before he paused, noticing something sticking out from underneath the pictures. He hesitated before reaching to move the photos aside, revealing a floppy disc. He carefully lifted it up, finding nothing written on it to identify its contents. "What's this?"

"That…," Cassandramon said, her voice somehow emphasizing the floppy disc without ever changing its tone. "…is the backup code for the Village of Beginnings."

* * *

There were few things the Chosen Children expected to find at the bottom of the Dark Ocean, and the ruins of a city were not one of them. Even stranger, they were not the ruins of a typical Digimon city, which were usually haphazard and nonsensical in appearance, but something straight out of the depths of Tokyo itself. In fact, as the Chosen Children stood on the cracked asphalt road that the sand led them to, they truly felt that they were back in Tokyo - albet after some horrific disaster that had eliminated all life and wreaked havoc on the sturdy buildings that loomed ominously over them.

"What… the hell," Taichi said slowly. "It's like… we're back at Hikarigaoka."

"The only thing that's missing is the overpass," Yamato agreed, breathlessly. "What the hell is _this_ doing here?"

Black Tailmon scanned her head about, taking in the sights around her with open bewilderment. She then turned to Keiko and Nyamon. "What is all this?"

Unlike the rest of the Chosen Children, Keiko was completely unaffected by their surroundings. "This was the first and only city humans built in the Digital World."

The statement sent a shockwave through the Chosen Children.

Takeru turned to gape at Keiko. "What?"

"Ya'll know yer not the first humans to ever visit the Digital World, yeah?" FlaWizarmon asked, his arms crossed as he leaned against one of the ruined buildings.

"Wait, so… you're saying there are _humans_ stuck in the Dark Ocean!?" Jou asked with growing horror.

"Yep, some of the poor bastards stuck in the muck are human," FlaWizarmon said, with a casual shrug.

"Were," Witchmon corrected, her expression somber.

" _Were_ human," FlaWizarmon agreed with a solemn nod. "And they're gonna be stuck in the Dark Ocean, gunkin' it up, 'cuz it can't process them. It doesn't know _how_."

A self-deprecating smile creased Keiko's face. "That's why Mama never brought me back to life. She _can't_. Even with the orb draining her, she would've broken herself to do it if she could."

"But Narakumon thinks it can be done!" Black Tailmon protested. "He clearly thinks reviving you will work!"

"He wants to glitch the system," Nyamon said with a shake of her head. "He wants a Miracle, essentially."

"Then I guess that's what we'll have to do," Takeru said, with a bright grin. "We've caused a lot of things to happen that _shouldn't_ have… so it's about time we cause one that we actually _want_ to happen."

Monodramon frowned as he watched the exchange, feeling like he clearly was missing something. He at least understood by this point that they were talking to someone he couldn't see, and it was clearly an important conversation. He certainly didn't want to interrupt it, though he couldn't deny he felt a strong sense of urgency to get to Ryo and get out of what was quite literally Digimon Hell. He just needed to remind himself that they were almost there, and that nothing had happened up to that point - so perhaps nothing would.

And if anything did, the Chosen Children could take care of it. Probably. Maybe.

Witchmon looked from Takeru to the empty space the boy spoke so confidently to. She dragged her long, sharp teeth along her bottom lip and looked away as her ghostly cat crouched low against her hat, ears folded back.

"Obviously, I ain't gonna discourage ya," FlaWizarmon said, his voice rough. "I've seen enough to know that ya'll can do some pretty damned crazy things… but ya'll have to forgive me for thinkin' that this is at least one situation where yer biting off more than you can chew."

"That's fine!" Kudamon said, cheerfully. "We'll just enjoy making you to eat crow!"

Miyako looked at FlaWizarmon with a deadpan expression. "The Digital World has the ability to create sentient life, alter time and space, and attached itself so closely to the real world that if it gets destroyed, Earth will go boom along with it." She smirked crookedly as she adjusted her glasses. "Forgive _me_ for thinking the concept of 'impossible' just doesn't exist."

FlaWizarmon paused as he considered that before he reached up to pull down the brim of his hat over his eyes. "Can't argue with that… but I reckon I'm just a coward who can't handle gettin' his hopes up only to have 'em squashed."

"That's fine," Taichi said as he held out his fist in front of him with a confident grin. "As long as _we_ don't give up, that's all that matters." He turned to the rest of the Chosen. "Right guys?"

"Right!" Sora agreed enthusiastically, clenching her own fists as she raised them up to her chest. "We'll all work together and make this happen, Keiko!"

"Exactly," Yamato said with a nod. "We're in this together."

Jou reached up to adjust his glasses. "We've done crazy enough things up until this point. It might sound weird to say, but this actually seems tame compared to everything else."

"I know that logically, it doesn't make any sense," Koshiro said. "But that's human logic. The Digital World has its own type of logic, and even that can apparently be changed."

FlaWizarmon laughed weakly as he raised his hands in defeat. "Alright, alright… I getcha. Clearly I ain't gonna get far with you. Just don't do anythin' reckless, alright?"

"We don't want to lose anyone else," Witchmon said softly, though she kept her misty eyes up ahead rather than towards the optimistic children.

Keiko silently took in the determination around her, the ernest smiles directed at her. Even in such an unrelentingly terrible situation, even the quiet horror of the Dark Ocean radiating all around them, shaking their insides with barely controlled fear as it whispered terrible things at the edge of their hearing, these children who hardly knew her were resolute in their conviction to cheat death and rescue her from its cold grasp.

In spite of the hopelessness she felt for the past few years after her world fell apart around her, Keiko somehow managed to be sincere when she smiled back.

* * *

Video screens flickered, showing all the various angles of the Chosen Children as they resumed their journey, heading further in to the ruined city. The screen occasionally flashed static, as if something was messing with the signal, but the view would eventually return, proving it to be a temporary interference.

From his throne, the Digimon Kaiser watched, his entire body rigid as tense fingers dug into the armrests in an unrelenting vice grip. The monitor's light was the only illumination in his dark throne room.

"It's going well so far," Dracomon said, half-hidden in shadow at the dictator's right.

The Digimon Kaiser let out a low, uneasy rumble at the back of his throat. "I don't trust how straightforward this is. It shouldn't be this easy to extract Ryo from the Dark Ocean."

"The Dark Ocean did almost take one of them already," Dracomon remarked.

The Digimon Kaiser squeezed the armrest tight enough to make the leather creak. "That's what I'm talking about. They should be fighting for every inch against the Dark Ocean. They should be _terrorizing_ it with Darkness to keep it at bay. It shouldn't be so… calm."

"The crest of Miracles is doing something," Dracomon said. "Zhuqiaomon must have expected this, even though Miracles should have no effect on the Dark Ocean." The small dragon Digimon paused before he narrowed his eyes. "The Holy Beasts definitely know more than they have told."

The Digimon Kaiser nodded, his scrutinizing gaze focused on Monodramon. "Neemon was an agent of Zhuqiaomon too." His voice lowered in a mumble directed to himself. "What is his obsession with Ryo about?"

"Once I am able to find that little rat, I will bring him to you," Dracomon said, with blazing intensity in his eyes. "In pieces, if I must."

"Rip off his limbs, but make sure he doesn't delete," the Digimon Kaiser said, his voice low and dangerous. "We need to remove him as a threat for good."

Dracomon's lips curled up to reveal his sharp teeth. "I will be _very_ careful."

The Digimon Kaiser nodded, lapsing into a tense silence that lingered as he watched the children wander through the ruins.

Dracomon watched the screen alongside the tyrant, his eyes switching from each of the Chosen Children before he finally focused on Monodramon as he led the way. Moments slipped by before the dragon Digimon spoke again. "I remember this place."

The Digimon Kaiser cocked his head in the Digimon's direction. "Was this where you scavenged those electronics?"

"Yes," Dracomon said. "There are numerous rooms filled with computers and other types of equipment."

The Digimon Kaiser grunted to himself. "Laboratories. Of course. It's probably where those ghosts linger most." After a pause, he returned his focus to Dracomon. "It's dangerous to go through the Dark Ocean alone, even for you."

"I was not alone," Dracomon said, immediately without any sign of hesitation. "I had you. Because of you, I could protect myself… and you. I fear nothing, so long as I have you."

The Digimon Kaiser went silent, his gaze never wavering from the screens.

* * *

It was impossible to fully explore the city, as only bits and pieces were accessible due to the way the golden walls cut its path. While the temptation was there, somewhere past the unsettling fear that hung weighty in the air around them, the Chosen Children ultimately knew better than to venture beyond the golden walls just to look around. They weren't there for curiosity's sake to begin with, they were searching for one thing and one thing _only_ \- Ryo Akiyama.

Thankfully, even if they themselves didn't know where they were going, the path certainly did. It cut them straight through what appeared to be a shopping district towards a massive government-style building - complete with numerous concrete steps guiding them upward past a broken fountain and what appeared to be planters that could have conceivably held flowers a long time ago.

"It's pretty amazing," Takeru said as he stopped by one of the planters to stare into it, not in the least surprised to find it without even a hint of life - only gray sand. "It really is a city - an actual _city_."

"I'm going to take a look ahead," Devidramon said as he turned to his partner, who nodded his approval. Without another word, he fanned his wings and took off to the sky.

"Who the heck lived here anyway?" Taichi asked as he turned to Keiko.

"I was wondering that too," Koshiro said, head perking up. "Gennai only mentioned your group as the first to come into the Digital World, Keiko. He didn't say anything about any other humans."

"She was the first _Chosen Child_ , yes," FlaWizarmon said, before Keiko could finish opening her mouth. "But she wasn't the first _human_."

"Humans have been meddling with our world since its creation," Witchmon said with no small hint of bitterness clinging to her voice. "They got themselves killed and the gods have been trying to keep them out ever since."

"Got themselves killed… how?" Sora asked, uneasily.

"By killing Huanglongmon, of course," FlaWizarmon said, with false cheer. "You don't kill a god of the Digital World and _not_ suffer consequences for it."

Witchmon spread her arms out as she spun about on her broom in place. "Huanglongmon's death is why the Dark Ocean is the way it is now."

"'Course, it wasn't _intentional_ ," FlaWizarmon said, with a wink at the Chosen Children as they all turned to gawk at the pair. "They were just real keen on torturing - I mean, ' _experimenting'_ on him and did it a liiiittle too much."

Witchmon flashed a smile filled with too many sharp teeth. "So he killed himself, taking the wicked humans out with him."

FlaWizarmon made a popping gesture with both of his hands as he mouthed 'boom'.

Witchmon continued to smile in spite of the shocked expressions directed their way. "As you might imagine, dearies, this made a lot of Digimon who were there at the time absolutely _hate_ all of humanity. The gods included." She paused for a moment before focusing on Black Tailmon. "Yes, _all_ of them."

Black Tailmon blinked at that, her eyes widening with understanding. "So even Tenraimon…"

"They were both tortured too, ya know," FlaWizarmon said as he looked skyward, his expression grim. "For many, many, _many_ years… before Huanglongmon saved them, at the cost of his own life. That's not somethin' you can _forget_."

"But that…," Sora murmured as she struggled to understand. "What… changed?"

The harshness of Witchmon's smile melted into something painfully nostalgic. "Lady Keiko. Tenraimon might've butted heads with Narakumon and argued that innocent children shouldn't be punished for the sins of others of your kind, but if you knew her, you could see the hate was still in her. When Keiko arrived…" She trailed off with a soft sigh, her eyes going distant as her mind drifted somewhere far away.

"Huanglongmon saved 'em physically," FlaWizarmon said, his voice rough as his emotions flared again. "Lady Keiko saved 'em spiritually. She saved _all_ of us."

"She loved them," Witchmon said fondly. "Loved _us_ , needed us. She'd been wronged by wicked humans, tortured and held captive just like our gods had, so she understood them more than anyone." She looked around, but, sadly, couldn't find any trace of the spirit of the Chosen Child of Darkness. "She loved Narakumon and Tenraimon, and that love grew inside of them until they loved her enough to break the Digital World for her, and that love spilled over to the rest of you children too."

Keiko couldn't look at anyone. Although she had no blood within her, her cheeks still turned pink due to overwhelming emotions that swelled within her soul and threatened to overflow.

Takeru frowned. "Is _that_ why Zhuqiaomon hates humans?"

"Yep," FlaWizarmon said. "He won't ever forgive _or_ forget. It don't matter what you do, how many times you save the Digital World. He will hate you forever."

"Whee, 'justified' racism," Miyako said flatly as she trailed her fingers along a broken piece of wall. "How fun. I feel _so_ much more confident trusting a guy like that who blames innocent people for what assholes did."

"L-Lord Zhuqiaomon loves the Digital World!" Monodramon protested. He didn't fully grasp the conversation, but he understood enough to understand that his master was being insulted. "He… he sent us here to rescue Lord Ryo! So… so…!"

"That he did," FlaWizarmon said with a small nod, tugging on the brim of his hat. "Surprised the crap outta me that he did, but he sure did."

Monodramon frowned as his tail whipped about behind him. He clearly looked unhappy with FlaWizarmon's response and about ready to argue, but lacked the nerves to actually voice it. In the end, he stood quivering impotently.

Taichi felt his heart go out to the little dragon, and he placed his hand on Monodramon's head. "Hey, don't go taking it personally. Maybe Zuky _does_ hate us, but we're all fighting for the same thing right now. That's why you brought us here, right?"

Monodramon paused at that before he smiled thankfully up at Taichi as the brunette winked at him. "T-that's right! And Lord Zhuqiaomon knows that, too! He k-knows you're allies of our world and w-wants to help!"

FlaWizarmon glanced to Witchmon and lifted his hand to block his face so that he could discreetly roll his eyes.

Witchmon looked back at him calmly, somehow managing to keep her expression impassive, but her ghost cat retched as though it was coughing up a hairball.

Nyamon quirked an eyebrow before she turned to grin wryly at Keiko. "Ah, the innocence of youth."

Keiko returned the smile with one of her own, though her eyes were hard. "Maybe they'll have better luck than I did."

"Takeru!" Devidramon's voice boomed from above, interrupting the conversation and causing all eyes to turn up to him as he returned to the group. "It looks like the walls are taking us straight to a building!"

"A building?" Takeru asked, slowly. He hesitated before he furrowed his brow in concern. "Like a fortress?"

"No," Devidramon said as he landed beside his partner. "It kind of looks like… a hospital?"

Nyamon made a strange face at that before she hurried forward ahead of the others, heading straight up the long steps climbing up the hill ahead of them. Black Tailmon was quick to follow her dark counterpart, the two cats bounding up the steps with ease.

As the two cats neared the top, a massive building came into view. It was heavily damaged, but both had to admit that the comparison to a hospital was an apt one. Despite the huge doors leading inward, it seemed like a building they would've come across in the real world. It was multiple floors with rows upon rows of windows, each and every single one had seemingly been burst outward, with glass scattered across the ground outside. Hints of equipment could be seen through the open windows, which only served to add to the eeriness.

"That's… not what I expected," Nyamon muttered.

"I don't think _anyone_ expected it," Black Tailmon replied, her ear giving a backwards flick as the only acknowledgement of the rest of the group as they joined the duo at the top of the steps. "Or _any_ of this, for that matter."

"So _this_ is where Zeed has been hiding with Ryo?" Yamato asked as he crossed his arms and took a slight breather at the top of the stairs. "For some reason… I was expecting a grand palace, or something."

"Yeah, it's definitely a downgrade from his usual haunts," FlaWizarmon muttered as his eyes scanned the windows for any sign of movement. "He has a particular… _taste_ , if you can call it that. It was always _gaudy_ \- gold, jewels, you name it." He turned to give Witchmon a vicious smirk. "I'd say it's a testament to how _far_ he's fallen if _this_ is where he's been spendin' his days."

Out of curiosity, Taichi followed the wall of the hospital along the only side not blocked by a mountain of rubble until he reached the corner. Unfortunately, he found the gap between it and the golden barrier that protected them to be far too small for any of them to squeeze through. "No way around over here. Guess this is the place, or we're supposed to go through."

"Wonderful," Sora muttered, her voice heavy with sarcasm, as laced her fingers together so that she could clasp her hands tightly as she walked double time to Taichi's side. The whole place gave her goosebumps, and the hospital was absolutely not helping - nor was the fact that Taichi had wandered so close to the edge of their safety net. She tried to be inconspicuous as she went to guide him back to the others, clutching his arm a little more tightly than she necessarily needed to.

"Don't worry, Sora," Garudamon said as she looked down at her partner. "We'll get through this together."

"I know," Sora said as she loosened her grip on Taichi to something more comfortable and turned to smile weakly at her partner. "I just can't shake this bad feeling I have."

Taichi felt compelled to say something comforting, but the chill coiled in his belly froze any soothing words that might have left him. So, instead, he took Sora's hand in his and squeezed it. "Yeah," he eventually admitted. "Me either."

"This whole place is nothing _but_ a bad feeling," Kudamon said as she hovered over Miyako. "So you'll just have to get used to it!"

"Okay," Miyako said with a firm clap of her hands, both to get the others' attention and to bolster her confidence. The sound it made was too loud, and whatever echo came back - if it was even an echo - sounded… _wrong_. She shook it off quickly and forced herself not to think about it. "Two pairs of Darkness at the front, two at the back. Light in the middle with Miracles at the sides. Let's be ready for an ambush or a trap or some cosmic horror hiding in here, people."

Taichi ran a hand through his hair as he looked around at the others. There were times when his gut decisions led him astray, but this time, his instincts told him with crystal clarity he did _not_ want to go inside this hospital. "Okay… normally I'd volunteer to go first, but that's probably stupid-"

"Just a bit," Yamato cut in as he gave the Chosen of Courage a lopsided grin.

Taichi shot Yamato a glare, but there was no fire behind it. The barb oddly managed to loosen a little of the tension. "Okay, smart guy, then you and MetalGarurumon can go first with Sora and Garudamon. Miyako and Kudamon will…" He paused, brow furrowing as his thoughts tripped over one another. "Wait, no, we need someone to back up Kudamon… but we're going to need our guard up in the front…"

"Nyamon and I will take the lead," Keiko said, her expression stony as she folded her arms across her chest. "Nyamon has more experience exploring the Dark Ocean than anyone and she can still hurt anything in here; I can teleport and go through walls, and, most importantly, I'm already dead so nothing here can kill me."

Taichi faltered at the dispassionate reminder a _ghost_ gave him of her lack of mortality. He squirmed in place, grimacing, before he tried forcing something resembling a placating smile. "S-sure, sure. Right. Okay. Uh… so you two and…"

"I'll go with Keiko," Yamato said, stepping forward. "Sora and Miyako can watch the back."

Sora gave a nod. "Okay. That sounds good to me."

"No arguments here," Miyako said, swallowing a sigh of relief as she tried to maintain a poker face.

"Alright, then!" Yamato said as he turned towards the front door, marching forward with great purpose. He stopped only a moment to notice how bizarre it looked, with the small pressure switch on the wall by the door so small and within arm's reach while the door itself was absurdly tall. He made a noise in his throat before he pressed his hand against the switch, watching it immediately activate as the doors slid open with a _'swoosh'_ before he glanced over his shoulder to the others. "Now, everyone be-"

The Chosen of Friendship immediately froze when he saw a look of shock and horror spread across the other Chosens' faces. He quickly whipped his head about to see the source of their sudden reaction, and immediately came face to face with a human crumbled face first on the floor. It looked to be an adult male, though most of his body was hidden by a large white lab coat. As Yamato realized what he was seeing, he jerked back with a cry before he quickly rushed across the threshold towards the fallen man.

"Hey!" Yamato said. " _Hey_! Are you alright-!?"

An abrupt shock of unnatural cold made Yamato jerk back the hand that was reaching out for the man as he found Keiko suddenly between them.

" _Stop!_ " Keiko shouted, causing a jolt to run through everyone present and sending them on alert.

"Don't touch him!" FlaWizarmon yelled, unintentionally adding to Keiko's warning as he couldn't hear Keiko's words. He quickly moved to Yamato's side. "Don't even think about it!"

"He's already dead, dearie," Witchmon said in a hushed tone as she tugged at Yamato's shoulder, pulling him back and blocking the view inside. After a solemn glance at the inside of the hospital and a pause to shudder, she turned back to the group. "Children, don't raise your eyes from the floor. We'll tell you where it's safe to step."

"What?" Yamato moved his head to stare from Keiko to the two Digimon in turn. He hesitated before slowly looking back down at the human. While he didn't see any visible injury, he also couldn't deny that he didn't see any movement either - not even breathing. "He's..."

Keiko looked sadly at FlaWizarmon and Witchmon as they tried to act as a barrier between the Chosen and the body, preventing any of the others from entering. With a sigh that held no breath, she turned to Yamato. "The bodies here are g…"

Yamato turned to look at Keiko as she abruptly stopped talking, but he found her attention was no longer on him. The calm, imposing air the ghost normally held about her was gone, replaced shockingly by naked _fear_ , as her wide eyes locked onto something just off to his right.

Yamato jerked in the direction Keiko was staring, bracing himself.

And just as quickly he wished he hadn't.

The thing standing in the shadows just outside the door frame wasn't human. Yamato's mind instinctively rebelled against the very idea even as he could see bits and pieces that far too much like it. Although it stood immobile, occasionally part of it twitched, not from any sort of muscular movement, but from whatever force that had warped the body into such unnatural contortions. The neck and limbs had stretched and folded like rubber, eyeballs popped forward and inflated, and its mouth curved out and crushed into its nose that widened until each nostril was bigger than a baseball.

There was no way a human body could be contorted to such dimensions - at least, not bloodlessly. There should have been blood, even bruising, but there was none. The tones of the skin were distorted, like a smear of color bleeding onto another, but there was no injury. The figure likely would have been cartoonish if drawn, even laughable, but this gaping thing staring right through him with its almost detached eyeballs was made of flesh and blood.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yamato saw more of them, more people twisted up and frozen in place save for minor twitches. He didn't want to look, but his curiosity dragged his gaze along against his will. Some of the not-people had objects fused to them, through them, or were partially stuck in the walls and furniture. Even the man on the floor, he now noticed, had no face. There was nothing but weird jaggy fleshtones and hair behind a pair of floating eyeballs and gum-lined teeth.

Yamato's stomach churned, but before he could lose his lunch, Keiko placed a hand over his eyes, forcing them closed with a shudder. Despite the cold that reached deeper than his bones, he felt grateful to be snapped out of his horrified gawking.

"I'm sorry," Keiko said softly, an odd catch to her voice. "I wasn't expecting them to look like this either."

Yamato opened his eyes unthinkingly, but unpleasantly he noticed that he could still see through Keiko's hand just a little bit. Fortunately, all he saw was her, but it was enough for him to notice the ghost trembling ever so slightly. Such a detail was enough to tell him that the fate of these people disturbed even the dead.

"Okay," Yamato finally said, pausing to swallow and wet his suddenly dry mouth. "Yeah." He angled his head downward and stared resolutely at the floor even after Keiko removed her hand from his face. "So… everyone keep their eyes on the floor, and _don't_ go looking around. We're going straight in for Ryo, and _nothing else._ "

"What… did you see?" Sora asked. While she was curious, every fiber of her being told her to _not_ give in to curiosity.

"More bodies," Yamato said, his voice stiff. "If you can even call them that."

"What?" Jou furrowed his brow. His mind immediately went to all his medical books, as his brain struggled to come up with possible theories for what Yamato had seen. "What does that mean-?"

" _Don't_ look," Yamato said, firmly, cutting off any argument. "I'm absolutely, one hundred percent serious."

Taichi made sure to move carefully as he tightened his grip on Sora. Despite feeling obligated to step inside and see for himself, the grim look on Yamato's face told him enough to keep him rooted to the spot. "I'm guessing it looks like a slasher film ran through there, right?"

"Something like that," Yamato muttered. "But think 'digital corruption' instead of 'gore'."

"So… they're 'glitched'," Koshiro guessed, speaking slowly as he inched his way closer, his intellectual curiosity overwhelming his trepidation. "Like the Battlefield Memorial?"

" _Organically_ glitched," Yamato said. "As in… _body parts_."

"I'm going to regret this, I just know it," Miyako muttered. Steadying herself, she took a deep breath and strode forward quickly, sticking her head in past Yamato's shoulder. She jerked back with a shrill scream only a moment later, her eyes wide and her pupils shrunk into pinpricks. "I… that… holy…"

"Miyako?" Koshiro asked, her reaction halting his tracks before he could take another step.

Miyako removed her glasses and rubbed at her eyes as she shook her head. She glanced at Koshiro through blurry eyes and tried to speak, but her voice cracked. Giving up on explaining, she went back to rubbing her eyes while trying desperately to forget what she saw, as Kudamon curled comfortingly around her shoulders.

Keiko shook her head at Miyako's choice before she met Koshiro's gaze, her eyes crinkled at the corners with discomfort that her calm mask couldn't quite hide. "Can you handle seeing a person run through a taffy machine?"

 _That_ was clear enough of a description to kill Koshiro's curiosity completely and make everyone else wince.

"You really shouldn't look, dearies," Witchmon said with a sigh. "Curiosity can lead down roads you don't want to travel, and scars that can last forever."

"I'd say the Battlefield Memorial is a pretty good comparison," FlaWizarmon said, grimly. "After all… it _was_ Huanglongmon's power, unleashed upon the humans who had enslaved him. And unlike Narakumon, it was _completely_ intentional. Even if the act took his own life, he was going to take theirs along with him."

"They were going to find out together what would happen to them," Witchmon murmured as she lowered her head, clasping her hands together as if in prayer. "What would happen to those the Digital World couldn't process in death."

"So this… isn't just some hospital," Takeru said, slowly. "This is… where Huanglongmon _died_."

"Seems like it," FlaWizarmon said. "No idea why Zeed's been hidin' out _here_ of all places."

"I-it's so… so... _disrespectful_!" Monodramon said furiously as he clenched his fists, raising them as if to shake them at the monster in question. "T-t-to _desecrate_ Lord Huanglongmon's memory like this…!"

"B-but wait!" Jou protested, struggling to comprehend what he was hearing. "If these are the same humans… then that means they've been here for _years_! And that doesn't even count how much passed during the time distortion! So why aren't they showing _any_ signs of decomposition at all? They should probably even be nothing but _bones_ …" His rambling trailed off to silence as a thought suddenly popped into his head. "… _Oh_."

"Jou?" MarinDevimon leaned down to look at his partner. "What is it?"

"Well, I… just remembered," Jou said, with a frown. "They're… data right now. They've been converted, so they don't currently _have_ any tissue _to_ decompose. But even more, the data they do have isn't the same as a Digimon's. They're… a total anomaly. That's why the Digital World can't process them, and why they're still…" His gaze dropped to his hands as he slowly flexed them. He then jerked before his gaze quickly turned to Keiko, his eyes widening as it immediately made the next logical connection . "Oh!"

Keiko met Jou's wide-eyed gaze coolly, arms folded in front of her. "Yes, my body still looks the same as it did when I died, too. It's not rotting. Papa wouldn't let it even if it could."

Jou blanched and nervously fidgeted with his glasses. "I… sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of-"

Keiko raised a hand to silence the Chosen of Honesty. "It's fine. I'm dead. It's not exactly a topic that can be avoided." She gestured down at her faintly translucent body. "I'm better off than the other humans that died here, at least. If Papa didn't step in, my soul would be trapped in the Dark Ocean right now, just like _them_."

"And don't forget," Nyamon said with a snap of her tail, her arms crossed. "This all would apply to _you_ too."

"Well, isn't _that_ a lovely little reminder," Kudamon muttered as she rested on her partner's shoulders. "That's fine, I wasn't going to let Miyako out of my reach, anyway."

"We need to hurry," Sora murmured as she placed her hands over her chest. Her heart ached, as all the suffering that had happened in the past hung over her head like a suffocating cloud. "So we can get Ryo out of here as quickly as we can."

"Okay," Taichi muttered before trying to put more energy into his voice as he straightened up. "Sora's right. No matter what's in there, the plan hasn't changed. We're here to rescue Ryo, no matter what monsters or creeps are waiting here to stop us."

"No arguments there," Yamato grunted before he forced himself to face forward again, down the long ruined hallway that awaited them. Upon seeing glimpses of things that were once people, he quickly redirected his gaze towards the ground. "Everyone stick close and… just don't look around."

"Children, I think you should let your partners lead you along," Witchmon said. "FlaWizarmon and I will direct you Digimon so you won't have to look too long at things, but you'll need to make sure nobody trips. We don't want to risk any of us touching them. It might spread their glitches to you."

The assembled Digimon, though wary and unsettled by what they had heard, all gathered their courage and drew close to their respective Chosen in order to fulfil their grim mission.

The eerie corridor lead the humans and assembled Digimon straight into the heart of the building, past numerous hallways that led to different areas within it. However, they focused only on what was in front of them, as none wanted to see what horror rested within that darkness. As a result, they saw only the barest hint of technology scattered about - computers, monitors lining the walls, and other expensive looking equipment aplenty. However, any temptation to explore was sufficiently snuffed out by the presence of the glitched corpses as they focused instead on their goal.

It wasn't long until they arrived at a massive doorway, the door blown completely off its hinges. Light poured in through the opening, revealing the outside world once more. While the building's design implied that it should have continued onward, the entire backside of the structure was gone. Only the long hallway - or what was left of it - continued onward narrowly, its white linoleum tiles all that remained before it tapered off in to a sharp cliff overlooking a massive crater. The size of the crater itself was impossible to judge, as only a section was visible as the rest disappeared past the walls of gold that ended a ways past the cliff.

At the very edge of that cliff lay what appeared to be a brown-haired human child, face down on the linoleum, garbed in bloodstained clothes

Keiko gave a start as she immediately recognized the child. Instantly, she flickered out of existence, only to reappear by the boy's side. " _Ryo_!"

"Holy shit," FlaWizarmon muttered before he raced after Keiko unknowingly, his eyes focused exclusively on the prone child. "It's him! It's really him!"

The boy with spiky brown hair and tanned skin did not respond to their cries or Keiko's bone chilling touch as he lay face down, dressed in dried blood that coated most of his skin, purple shirt, green cargo pants, and white gloves. His head was only slightly turned, allowing him to breathe - despite how each breath caused his body to shudder and twitch.

The rest of the Chosen Children and their Digimon were quick to follow, hurrying as fast as they could along the narrow path to the unconscious Chosen of Miracles. None of them noticed a small purple-furred draconian Digimon as it peered out from behind a ruined wall at them. He looked considerably worse for wear, covered in injuries. The white of his belly, snout, tail tip, and feet were stained, matted and bloodied much like the rest of his fur while the red triangular gem on his forehead was cracked. Even his draconian black wings did not escape injury, with one dangling uselessly at his side while the other was pressed tight against his back. Only his golden eyes were bright as they glared at the Chosen Children, his expression anything but friendly. His gaze lingered on Keiko as she dared to lay a hand on Ryo before he let out a low growl, then limped towards the golden walls as they rested just within reach of the walkway. He hesitated only a moment before he slipped through the barrier of Miracles, disappearing into the Dark Ocean.

FlaWizarmon knelt down to roll Ryo on his back, propping him up with his arms so that he was half-holding him against his knees. He ignored the strange chill in the air that seeped into him, not knowing he moved through Keiko to do it. His attention was fully engrossed on searching for any injuries or sign of taint. His eyes halted when they came across a thin white scar that ran circular all around Ryo's neck, completely uniform. It was almost imperceivable, but it could not escape the Digimon's prying eyes.

FlaWizarmon paused before he quickly looked up to Witchmon. Witchmon had apparently seen the same injury, her own expression troubled as she met her partner's stare. FlaWizarmon paused before he gave a shake of his head. "I… can't believe it. He's really breathin'. He's really… _alive_."

"It's a miracle," Witchmon whispered, her voice hushed in awe.

"Well, that _is_ what he's known for," Nyamon said, trying to sign wry even as her eyes were moist with tears. She couldn't touch Ryo, no matter how much she wished, so she had to be satisfied with watching everyone else check over her dear friend. "Always with the Miracles."

Despite knowing it was futile, Keiko couldn't help but place her hand against Ryo's cheek. If she could focus hard enough, she could faintly sense the warmth of his skin against her palm. However, seeing him shudder and unconsciously turn away from her ghostly touch broke her concentration. An exquisite pain went through her, cutting through the relief that brought tears to her eyes that disappeared when they fell from her chin, and she drew away to let the others bring her friend back the warmth she had unintentionally taken away.

Jou sat down beside Ryo, mindful of Keiko and FlaWizarmon crowding around the unconscious boy, and examined the fallen Chosen Child with a more critical eye. The blood staining Ryo was old, flaking off as he was shifted about and prodded. Jou furrowed his brow at the strange scar ringing Ryo's neck, but quickly dismissed it - the injury was old and thus not as important.

A few minutes of examination left Jou relieved and worried at the same time, as something just seemed amiss despite his prognosis. "I don't see any injuries… or any taint."

"There's no taint?" Koshiro asked. "How-?"

"L-Lord Ryo!" Monodramon practically wailed, drowning out Koshiro's questions as he covered his face with his snout, tears of relief falling from his eyes. "I'm s-so glad… I'm so g-g-glad he's okay…!"

"I think we're _all_ glad," Yamato said with a heavy sigh before he straightened up, noticing the way Takeru hung back as he glanced about the area with a concerned expression on his face. The Chosen of Friendship blinked before he frowned, furrowing his brow. "Yo, Takeru. What's up?"

Takeru jumped slightly before he turned his attention back to his brother, looking sheepish. "I… don't know. It could be nothing."

" _What_ could be nothing?" Yamato asked, arching an eyebrow.

"What is it, Takeru?" Devidramon asked as he craned his head about to look at his partner.

Takeru faltered before he glanced about their surroundings again, his concern returning to his face. "It's just that… isn't it odd how Ryo was just _lying_ there? Isn't he… wasn't he supposed to be with _Zeed Millenniumon_?"

"Shit," Miyako hissed. "You're right. This _screams_ 'trap.'"

"Good going, Captain Kill-joy," Kudamon said, even though her fur was bristled. "Go ahead and ruin the reunion by inserting _logic_ into things!"

The suggestion sent a fresh wave of anxiety through the group as they looked around for signs of danger. Even FlaWizarmon looked uneasy as he quickly scooped Ryo up in his arms, taking care to treat the boy delicately.

"Well, if that's the case," FlaWizarmon said, as glanced about before side-eying Witchmon. "Then I think we outta-"

FlaWizarmon was cut off by a sudden rumble that pierced through the air, loud and echoing like thunder. The sound reverberated through everyone and everything, causing even the golden walls to ripple in a way that instantly put everyone on alert.. Panic flooded the assembled Chosen Children and their Digimon as they looked around for the source, the humans huddling together while their partners quickly formed a perimeter around them and Ryo.

"Everyone stay back," Black Tailmon said as she moved in front of the humans. "We'll cover… you…"

The cat Digimon tapered off, her voice cracking with a slow seizing of her throat as her wide eyes locked onto something across expanse of the crater. The action along with her expression instantly drew everyone else to follow her gaze.

The glowing golden path ended somewhere beyond the massive crater in front of them in a gentle outward curve that was now distending inward sharply until something pierced through the secure walls created by the Crest of Miracles. At first, it was an approaching wall made from gilded scales of unparalleled decadence that gave the impression that the protective barrier was changing shape, but then the blackness bled from between the cracks of those same scales that barely hung onto the maw of a beast whose size was beyond the children's comprehension.

The thing emerging from their greatest means of protection in the Dark Ocean was an abomination. Dull gray flesh dotted with too few of those beautiful scales hung from the edges of a jaw that held teeth large enough to tear through the belly of even a being as titanic and powerful as Narakumon. Armagemon, for all of his terrible size, could not even compare to this thing. Even larger than its menacing teeth were its rows of wicked horns that lined both sides of its massive maw and the eight scooped out holes along the sides and top of its head that may have once served to house eyes once, but only wept thick waterfalls of black. The viscous sludge oozed from every orifice, creating streams from its wounds and rivers between its teeth, all of it flowing into the crater and filling it with something darker than even the waters of the Dark Ocean itself.

Although the monster moving ever closer to them had no eyes, there was no question that it knew they were there, and it was coming for them.

Black Tailmon's ears canted back as her eyes became mere pinpricks. All the fur on her body puffed up at once, from the tip of her nose to her tail. It was a reaction that even Nyamon mimicked as she stood beside her light counterpart, staring across the exposed crater. The rest of the Chosen Digimon froze, each locked in a paralyzing contradiction of fight or flight instinct.

Yamato's jaw slowly dropped as he gaped, while Sora covered her mouth with both hands as all the color drained from her face. Jou's glasses slid down his nose while Koshiro dropped his laptop from his numb fingers. Keiko stood rigid like a statue as Takeru looked on uncomprehending, while terror seized all ration from Miyako's mind. Even FlaWizarmon and Witchmon were frozen in place by the sight. Monodramon tried and failed to utter even the tiniest squeak as he looked about ready to either faint or vomit, whichever happened first.

Taichi had frozen along with the others, but then instinct snapped him free, allowing him to break his gaze away and turn to his friends with a scream. " _Everybody run!_ Get the hell outta here!"

The sound of Taichi's voice was enough to snap everyone awake, and a burst of activity soon followed as the Chosen Children whipped about to race back inside the hospital, their partners guarding their retreat even as they followed suit.

"Keiko!" Sora shouted back even as she raced after the others, noting how the other girl hung back behind them. "What are you doing!?"

"I'll be fine!" Keiko snapped, though a slight tremor in her voice betrayed her courage. "I'm _dead_ , remember? It can't-"

The Chosen of Darkness was unable to finish her speech when Nyamon snatched her by the arm and dragged her after the others. "Dead or not, we're leaving!" the dark feline said, firmly.

"Digital Gate open!" Yamato snapped as he threw his hand forward, clutching his Digivice. When no light came forward, he threw it forward a few more times. "Digital Gate _open_! _Digital Gate open_!"

"It's… it's not working!" Sora gasped out as she stumbled after the others, waving her own Digivice wildly. "Why isn't it working!?"

"Be careful, Sora!" Garudamon said as she quickly nudged her partner away from inadvertently straying too close to one of the glitched bodies. "Watch your step!"

"Taichi!" Lavarvomon shouted. "Look! The walls are shaking!"

Inside the hospital, there were few places to see the golden wall through the twisting turns of the hallways, but slowing down beside a passage gave Taichi a glimpse of part of one of the protective barriers. True to his partner's word, the golden walls that had been sturdily holding back the Dark Ocean quivered violently like the surface of the sea in a maelstrom. To his horror, he saw black cracks spreading amidst the churning golden light.

"O-oh god," Monodramon stammered as he flailed his claws in the air, racing alongside the Chosen. His panic was so great that he failed to notice how the crest around his neck, which held a gentle glow that matched the protective walls surrounding them, was now flickering, its light diminishing ever weaker with each erratic pulse. "O-oh Lord Z-Z-Zhuqiaomon, save us!"

"They're going to come down!" MetalGarurumon barked.

"Witchmon!" Taichi shouted as he snatched Sora's arm so they wouldn't be separated. "Teleport us back to Crystal Tower! Hurry!"

"On it, dearie!" Witchmon shouted as her cloak snatched up the closest person to her - Black Tailmon - who mercifully disappeared once the cloak consumed the feline.

"What the hell are we gonna do about Lady Keiko!?" FlaWizarmon demanded as he hefted Ryo along. "How can she teleport what she can't see!?"

"Tell him not to worry!" Keiko shouted as she kept to the back of the group with Nyamon to make sure no one flagged behind. "Ghosts can teleport anywhere at any time! You get out first!"

Miyako turned to Witchmon as she clutched Kudamon close. "Keiko says-"

Unfortunately, she was unable to convey the message, as Witchmon chose that moment to warp the pair away.

"She says don't worry!" Takeru finished for Miyako breathlessly, before DeviDramon scooped him up. "She can teleport at any time, and to get us out first!"

"Good enough for me, Lady Darkness," Witchmon said before snatching up Taichi and Sora next, their partners shortly after.

The ground shook and a terrible rumble of stone and metal crushing together behind them, sending a fresh wave of pulse-pounding panic through the fleeing Chosen.

FlaWizarmon held Ryo tight as flames erupted around him. He paused only to snatch Monodramon by the tail, hefting the squealing Digimon upwards. "Witchmon! I'm getting Ryo outta here!"

"Do it and don't come back!" Witchmon shouted as she snagged Koshiro and Blade Kuwagamon who started lagging behind. "I've got them!"

FlaWizarmon have a sharp nod before he disappeared with a burst of fire, taking both Monodramon and Ryo with him.

"What, what, what, _what_!" Jou repeated the litany repeatedly as he rushed along before he was suddenly scooped up by MarinDevimon. " _What the hell_!"

"That's exactly what's coming for us!" MarinDevimon said as he quickened the pace to catch up with Witchmon as she dove for Takeru and Devidramon, delayed only by the sheer size of the virus Digimon. "So hold onto your butt!"

Jou clung to his partner with one hand as he adjusted his glasses, catching a glimpse of Witchmon snatching Yamato and MetalGarurumon next before he found himself staring past his partner as death itself approached them. He took no further notice as Witchmon whisked away the rest of his friends around him. The only thing his eyes could see were the glimpses of the unspeakable horror that made the reinforced walls of the hospital crumble around it as effortlessly as a castle made of sand.

It was only when Witchmon suddenly snagged her arms around Jou's neck that he looked away, crying out in a burst of panic before he saw who held him. "Easy, dearies," she said. "We're getting out of here."

The last thing Jou saw before he disappeared was part of one of the golden walls as it shattered, unleashing a tidal wave of dark water made of empty eye sockets and wailing mouths that called out for him to join them.

Keiko and Nyamon were the only ones left to witness the damned surging towards them their desperate and enraged voices finally unleashed to a deafening volume with the destruction of the protective barrier. Countless malformed arms grasped towards them in a blind attempt to force the two spirits to join their unholy amalgamation. The pair disappeared before the damned ever reached them, leaving the Dark Ocean to erase every last trace of the lost city and the monster that once slept beneath the waves.


	9. Chapter 9

The atmosphere was solemn as Hikari, Mimi, Daisuke, Iori, and their partners sat around one of the small gaming tables back in the entertainment room. None of them felt up to playing around with any of the myriad of games surrounding them, instead staring down at the floppy disc as it lay on the direct center of the table.

"So Miyako was right," Iori said as he looked down at the tiny disc that carried so much importance. "He kept a copy of the code. He could not bring himself to delete it entirely."

"That's right," Hikari said, with a small nod. Ken was still the Chosen of Kindness, even while tainted. There was no way he could throw away the future of _all_ Digimon, even when the taint was at its strongest.

"Now we can fix the Village of Beginnings!" Palmon exclaimed with growing enthusiasm as she turned to Mimi. "We can have Koshiro put it back!"

"We… may want to consider our options first," Iori said, frowning. "Rather than take immediate action."

"What?" Mimi outright gawked at Iori. "How can you say that? We have to fix the Village of Beginnings as quickly as possible so the Digimon can be reborn!"

"And with them, the Holy Beasts," Iori said, his voice low. His eyes narrowed before he looked up at the others. "Ken killed them for a reason - to prevent them from voting. Jijimon and Babamon said as much. The Holy Beasts couldn't agree on what to do, so they did _nothing_. It allowed Ken to eliminate them before that situation could change. But if we restore the Village of Beginnings, they too will be restored… and will most likely see no reason to hesitate any longer."

"Then we'll talk to them," Mimi said firmly. "We'll make sure they realize that fighting is pointless and that we'll make sure Ken doesn't hurt anyone again. There's no reason to let this stop innocent Digimon from living!"

Iori's frown deepened. "I am not saying that we don't fix the village _at all_ but rather that we…"

The Chosen of Honor trailed off when he noticed Cassandramon placing a sizable pillow on the gaming table behind Hikari. Everyone found themselves quickly distracted by the enigmatic Digimon before looking at each other for possible explanation. Hikari met Iori's gaze, but could only offer a shug.

Iori shook his head, dismissing the strange distraction, then returned his attention to Mimi. "…We should at least consider the timing of it."

Hikari frowned. It was a difficult choice, and Iori certainly had a point. Things were dangerous enough without them making things worse. However, she couldn't find herself at ease with the idea of leaving the Village of Beginnings broken. Not to mention that restoring it and allowing the Digimon to once again be reborn would go a long way towards mending the damage Ken had done to the Digital World and himself. "I think we can reason with them. We have Baihumon on our side, and even Zhuqiaomon was willing to work with us despite Ken's warnings about him. Even if Qinglongmon and Xuanwumon won't listen to us, they'll listen to their friends, right?"

Daisuke rubbed his forehead, his emotions tangled in hopeless knots.

It was that conflicted expression that drew Hikari's attention and brought her mind back to what Keiko had said about him in the Dark World. Once the thought was there, it wouldn't let go, even if that small prickly ball of bitterness still remained festering in her heart. "Daisuke?"

Daisuke flinched as Hikari spoke his name and held up his hands to ward off trouble. "I didn't say anything!"

Hikari barely suppressed a cringe as guilt pricked her where the bitterness resided. "I know… I was just… wondering how you're feeling."

Slowly, Daisuke lowered his hands to the table, hesitant to answer. He just knew he was going to say the wrong thing again, he knew it, but Hikari was finally speaking to him again. He couldn't just let this opportunity go. "I'm… I'm okay. How about you? That stuff back there with the Dark Ocean and what Keiko said… It… it's not anyone warned you it was gonna happen, so you shouldn't beat yourself up over it or anything."

A small smile curved Hikari's lips. "Thank you, Daisuke." The smile faded. "But I'm a little more worried about what Keiko said about _you_ right now."

"O-oh," Daisuke mumbled as his eyes dropped to his hands as he bunched them together on the table. "It… it's nothin'. I just figured out how stupid I've been about Ken." He hunched down into himself, feeling Hikari's gaze like a lead weight on him. "I'm sorry… about everything. I ruined everything with Ken, and treated you both like crap."

V-mon glanced at Daisuke, drooping slightly. "Daisuke…"

Hikari took a deep breath to clear her mind. She reached deep down where that prickly ball of resentment lay and used all her love and compassion to banish it from her heart. With a gentle smile, she reached out to take Daisuke's hand and squeezed it. "I forgive you, Daisuke." Her smile grew as he met her gaze with wide, disbelieving eyes. "I'm sure Ken will too when you show him how sorry you are."

"R-really…?" Daisuke asked in a weak croak. It was one thing for Taichi to suggest such a thing was possible, but for Hikari to do so after everything that had happened, it was almost too good to be believed.

Hikari nodded as she gave Daisuke's hand another squeeze. "We'll make it up to Ken together."

Daisuke stared at Hikari. He tried to respond to her, but the words never left his choked throat. He quickly found himself too distracted by forcing back the tears prickling the corners of his eyes to speak.

V-mon watched Daisuke and Hikari with baited breath, his barely repressed enthusiasm palpable in the air around him as he watched his partner make up with his oldest friend. He didn't want to speak, not even to cheer with joy, lest it somehow sabotage Daisuke in some way. However, that didn't stop the upward curve of his lips or the vigorous wagging of his tail from signaling his pleasure.

That was when Cassandramon placed a pillow directly on top of Daisuke and Hikari's outstretched hands. Startled, they and the rest of the Chosen quickly found themselves staring at her and the mound of pillows in all shapes and sizes in her arms.

V-mon exploded. Not only had that awful Digimon hurt Daisuke with her venomous words and refused to leave them alone, she had the _audacity_ to sabotage a _very important moment_ for Daisuke. "Do you _mind_!?"

"No," Cassandramon replied, not bothering to glance at V-mon as his face twisted in to a furious scowl. "I do not mind."

V-mon growled and barely restrained himself from launching himself at her.

Mimi's brow knitted as she kept glancing at Cassandramon, the Digimon proving to be far too much of a distraction from their serious conversation. "Hey, Cassandramon, what're you doing with all those pillows?"

Cassandramon dropped a large pillow on the floor beside one of the UFO catchers before she turned to stare at Mimi, her three eyes unblinking. "I am setting them in various places about the room."

Mimi stared at Cassandramon. "But _why_ are you doing that?"

Cassandramon blinked wordlessly before she pointed at the pillow she had placed on the table behind Hikari. As soon as she did so, Tailmon suddenly appeared out of nowhere, flying through the air until she landed butt-first on the pillow.

Cassandramon turned to point at the sofa just seconds before Miyako appeared while holding Kudamon, bouncing from the pillow to land on the couch, right on her back. The oracle then gestured to the large pillow in front of the Super Famicom just as Taichi and Sora materialized, with Taichi landing on his back as Sora fell on top of him before both Agumon and Piyomon landed on their partners.

In the empty space Cassandramon pointed to in front of the pool table, FlaWizarmon appeared in a burst of smoke, holding both Monodramon and Ryo. Even the sight of the lost Chosen Child was not enough to give her pause as she gestured towards a trio of pillows she had placed in a corner to signal the appearance of Koshiro as he landed face first into one plush cushion with Tentomon tumbling onto the second and his laptop coming to rest delicately on the third.

The shock of the sudden appearances and the recognition of the pattern drew Hikari and Daisuke back just in time for Cassandramon to point at the pillow between them just before Takeru and Patamon flopped down onto it. The oracle's final gesture to orchestrate her pillowy point had her sweeping both her hands out, tossing aside the last pillows a few meters away for Yamato and Gabumon to land on them, pointing to them with one hand as the other directed the children's attention to Witchmon's appearance with Jou and Gomamon in her arms.

Witchmon appeared in a swirl of magic and fear as the Dark Ocean disappeared around her for the final time, clutching the last of her charges in her large hands. The first thing she did upon returning to Crystal Tower was make sure that each child and Digimon were present. Only after she saw everyone was accounted for did she notice the perfectly placed pillows beneath nearly all of them. The confusion and relief were brief, however, as she clapped her eyes on Cassandramon and rage rushed in their place.

Cassandramon ignored the daggers Witchmon glared into her as she turned back to Mimi, lacing her fingers together. She offered no words, only a silent stare.

Mimi didn't say anything as she, Hikari, Iori, Daisuke, and their partners stared dumbly at the appearance of their friends, each of them barely doing more than blinking. It didn't take long for the shock to subside, however, and the group leapt into action, rushing to their friends as they chattered questions all at once.

Hikari instantly scooped up Tailmon, looking her partner over before she turned back to Takeru and Patamon as Daisuke and V-mon helped them sit up. Iori only had eyes for Miyako, and knelt by her side with worried eyes. Mimi focused her attention on helping Sora climb off of Taichi, and out from under their partners who were, mercifully, back in their Child evolutions.

"Are you guys okay?" Daisuke asked with growing anxiety as he clasped Takeru by the hand and pulled the other boy up into a sitting position.

V-mon helped Patamon straighten out uncomfortably bent wings as he looked the Digimon over for injury. "What happened?"

"I-I'm fine," Takeru stammered, sliding to the edge of the table with Daisuke's help. He managed to stand until his wobbly legs told him that sitting down in the nearest chair was a much better idea. "I think."

"I-I de-evolved," Patamon said shakily as he gave a quick shake of his head. He recovered faster than Takeru, looking around the room to see the state of his friends. "We _all_ de-evolved."

Palmon moved to help Koshiro up off his face while Ryudamon carefully rolled Tentomon back to his partner's side before straightening him up. Koshiro gave a shake of his head before he checked his nose, ensuring it wasn't bleeding. Thankfully, the pillow had prevented him from a rather nasty bonk on the floor.

"A-are we all here?" Sora asked as she fumbled to her feet, gripping on to Mimi's arm as she tried to find her balance. "Is… is everyone okay?"

"We're… we're fine," Tailmon said as she trembled slightly, not bothering to get up from her impromptu seat. She noticed the concerned stare Hikari was giving her, and offered her partner what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "It's fine. We succeeded. We rescued Ryo."

Hikari frowned before she swiftly took her partner in her arms, hugging her close. The sight of Tailmon returning to her proper Vaccine Adult form should have been a moment of celebration, but all she could focus on was the naked fear in her partner's eyes.

Monodramon gurgled before he covered his mouth, his face turning green. The sight alarmed FlaWizarmon, who quickly dropped the dragon Digimon, who squeaked upon hitting a pillow on the floor face first.

FlaWizarmon arched an eyebrow as he regarded Monodramon while wiping his hand against his jacket. He then turned his attention to Ryo, gently checking over the unconscious boy. Witchmon was quick to join him after setting down Jou and Gomamon, tears forming in her eyes.

"He really is alive, isn't he?" Witchmon whispered, her eyes fixated on the way Ryo's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. "Ryo… he's alive even after… after…!" She couldn't finish, tears choking her voice, as she traced her finger along the faint line of scar tissue ringing Ryo's neck.

"He is," FlaWizarmon agreed, his quiet voice shaking. "I don't know how, an' I _know_ it shouldn't be possible… but we need to just leave it at that, for _everyone's_ sake." He lifted his gaze to Witchmon, struggling to give her a wry smile as his own eyes were wet with tears. "Miracles strikes again."

"Then maybe it's possible," Witchmon whispered, focusing on the feeling of the faint pulse beneath her fingertips. "Ryo made… Ryo _is_ a miracle. If he can come back then maybe… maybe Keiko can too."

FlaWizarmon gave a small nod, his eyes becoming intense.

Miyako didn't even bother to move from her face-down position on her pillow, making her words muffled. "Sounds like everything is fine and now we're free to freak the fuck out over what we just saw."

Jou trembled as he sagged his head forward, struggling to control his breathing. Unfortunately, he failed to hold onto his composure as the shock finally wore off. He reared back, grasping at the air with his shaky hands for something that escaped his grasp in a terrified scream. " _What the hell was that thing_!?"

"That was… something," Yamato said, slowly getting up to sit on his own pillow. "That was definitely… _definitely_ something."

Koshiro quickly rolled over onto his back before he sat up, reaching for his discarded laptop to check its condition. Upon finding it unharmed, he swiftly opened it up and began typing furiously. "I-I'm going to see if I got any video of it!"

Sora gave a shudder before she grasped Taichi's arm tightly, moving to lean against him as she rested her face against his shoulder. She couldn't even find the words to express what she was feeling, ranging from residual horror and fear to relief that they were now safe in the Crystal Tower.

Taichi didn't hesitate to wrap his free arm around Sora and pressed close to her, trying to remain strong and supportive despite the small tremors that ran through his body.

Mimi stared at Sora, then Taichi, before moving to grip Sora's shoulder tightly. She knew she had obviously missed something, something _very bad,_ and she felt equal parts relieved and guilty that she had missed it. "S-Sora?"

"I'm… fine," Sora said, her voice rough. "I'm fine. _We're_ fine."

"Yeah," Taichi muttered. "We all got out. We're fine. We're safe. No Dark Ocean here."

Hikari hesitated upon seeing how shaken her brother was, how he leaned into Sora for support just as much as he was trying to offer comfort. Not wanting to startle or provoke him further, she instead went to Takeru and sat down beside the Chosen of Hope. "Are you okay?"

Takeru hesitated as his first instinct was to put on a brave face. However, something about Hikari's concern for him made the desire for false bravado to fall flat. Instead, he offered the Chosen of Light a weak smile. "I wouldn't say that we're _okay_ , but… we at least made it back in one piece."

Hikari nodded, understanding all too well what he meant. She never woke up from her nightmares of the Dark Ocean anywhere close to 'okay,' but it was hard to phrase what she wanted to say any other way. "None of you got… it didn't touch any of you again, did it?"

"No one was tainted, thankfully," Takeru murmured. "I'm just... glad that you didn't go. You have enough nightmares of that place, without having to see… what's _actually_ beneath that water."

A shiver ran up Hikari's spine as memories of horrific dreams of drowning in the Dark Ocean clawed at her mind, though she tried her best not to think of them. "I…" She hesitated a moment. "You're right," she eventually admitted in a whisper. "I _didn't_ want to see what was really down there - I still don't - but I didn't want to run away from it either."

"It was absolutely the right decision for you to go back," Tailmon said as looked up at Hikari from her place in her partner's arms. "It made even my skin crawl, which should tell you something. That place… we definitely should never go back there."

Hikari hugged Tailmon closer, brushing her cheek against her partner's, who returned the nuzzle with equal affection. "Thank you for taking care of everyone in my place, Tailmon."

Iori watched the Chosen Children react, concern immediately on his face, before he knelt down to Miyako."Miyako, what-"

"You _don't_ want to know," Kudamon said as she flopped down on her partner's back, giving Miyako a small back rub with her tiny feet. "Just be glad you missed it, 'cuz I know _some_ people won't be able to sleep well tonight."

Miyako contributed an unintelligible mishmash of noises to the conversation, her voice muted by the pillow. Kudamon took it as agreement.

Iori's eyes widened as he gaped at Kudamon, then Miyako as his concern only intensified. He certainly didn't want to pry, even as his need to know demanded it, but he at least had the good sense to decide to wait for Koshiro's video - if it materialized - rather than press the obviously distressed Chosen of Passion.

"Anyone mind if I scream into this pillow for a bit?" Miyako asked without looking up. "No? Cool." With that she gripped the pillow tight against her face and unleashed her emotions in a gutteral shriek that came out greatly distorted and muffled through the fabric and stuffing.

Daisuke felt nervous prickles race up his spine as he looked around at the others in such a traumatized state. "Just what the heck did you guys see in that place?"

"Hell," Takeru added as he leaned forward to press his hands against his face, propping his elbows up on the table. He barely even took notice of Patamon who stood in front of him to gently stroke his hair. "A huge, rotting, walking _Hell_."

"That… was that _Zeed Millenniumon_?" Tailmon asked as she looked around the room at the others even as she remained firmly in Hikari's arms. "Was that after Narakumon-?"

"That…," Cassandramon said as she pressed her fingertips together, "…was Huanglongmon."

Monodramon was startled out of his stupor and quickly sat up, whipping his head to stare at Cassandramon. " _What_!?" he all but screamed. "B-but isn't L-L-Lord Huanglongmon-"

"Dead," Cassandramon finished for the small dragon as she turned to him, tilting her head to the side. "Did he look alive to you?"

Monodramon hesitated at that before he shook his head, trembling.

Cassandramon's three eyes blinked, her expression unchanging as she continued to gaze down at Monodramon, who flinched away from her stare. "Then those two facts are not in conflict."

Yamato grunted before he relocated himself and Gabumon into the chair beside Takeru and Patamon, scooting close enough that he could wrap his arm around his little brother's shoulder. Leaning back against the seat, he took a moment to smile weakly at Gabumon who snuggled against him in his lap, placing his free hand atop his partner's head. Only when he was settled comfortably with the people most important to him, he turned his narrowed eyes towards Cassandramon. "So, mind letting us all in on what the hell is going on? I'd say you owe us _something_ , especially considering you knew we would face that thing and didn't say _a damn thing_."

Cassandramon straightened up before she turned to face Yamato, clearly unperturbed by his tone or the accusation. "The Digital Gods were not meant to die - not _programmed_ to die. So when the undying _dies_ , what you saw is the outcome of that paradox."

Takeru didn't lift his head, his face still buried by his hands. "So basically… Huanglongmon's a zombie. His soul is trapped in the Dark Ocean with the rest of them, in a rotting corpse that can't be destroyed."

"No," Cassandramon replied. "He is not trapped with them - they are trapped with him."

Daisuke blinked. "Isn't that the same thing?"

"Huanglongmon is the reason those souls are unable to be reborn," Cassandramon said. "His blood has saturated the Dark Ocean, making it a prison rather than a purgatory." She turned to stare at Hikari, her eyes growing wide as the pupils shrunk to mere dots. "What you fear is not the Dark Ocean… but those that have been corrupted - _tainted_ \- by the blood of Huanglongmon."

Hikari stared at Cassandramon, struggling to comprehend what she was hearing. The expression on the oracle Digimon's face alone was enough to unnerve her, and her words certainly did not help. "What…?"

"Huanglongmon is the source of the taint, of _all_ taint," Cassandramon said. "Including the taint that plagued the Chosen of Kindness."

Takeru finally looked up, his movements sharp as he stared at Cassandramon. "Wait, what!? So the taint isn't just… something that happens when you touch the Dark Ocean!?"

"The Dark Ocean in its natural state is pure Darkness, and would have no such effect," Cassandramon said, her expression becoming more serene as she turned to Takeru. "Huanglongmon's blood have heavily corrupted its waters, which in turn taints all who touch it."

Koshiro continued to type at his laptop, only sparing Cassandramon and the others fleeting but troubled glances. "But that… but wouldn't Darkness just purge Huanglongmon's, er… blood?" He grimaced with distaste, his insides squirming on the topic of blood.

"Yes," Cassandramon said. "But just as Narakumon purges the blood, Huanglongmon's body continues to produce it. His body was not made to die, and it is that contradiction that has corrupted the very core of what makes the Dark Ocean what it was and has turned it into what you know now."

"So even as he's purging it, it's just being replaced," Jou muttered as he crossed his arms. "Immovable object meets unstoppable force…?"

"And Narakumon's obviously not purging it right now, considering he's _unconscious_ ," Yamato said, with a grunt. "So the mess just keeps getting bigger - and the Dark Ocean gets worse."

"It's the Battlefield Memorial all over again," Takeru grunted.

Koshiro paused and slapped himself. "Of course! We saw what happened to those peop…" He paused a moment, his gaze straying to Yamato with an inward cringe. "Er, I mean some of us did." He shook off the thought. "A-anyway, what happened must be that when Huanglongmon died, it must've completely messed up the Dark Ocean's code like Narakumon did to the memorial. And since they couldn't fix Huanglongmon, Narakumon couldn't just repair the code, right?" He looked to Cassandramon with the wide, eager eyes of a student waiting to find out their exam score.

"That is correct," Cassandramon replied with no trace of emotion to her tone. "Huanglongmon's body is much like pollution choking a river, sending tainted waters downstream."

"But why the hell would you build a city in the Dark Ocean?" Yamato asked, incredulous. "Who would _willingly_ want to stay _there_?"

Cassandramon turned her head to meet Yamato's stare. "Narakumon sent the tainted land - with Huanglongmon's body - to the Dark Ocean in order to try and isolate it. If not for that, the entire Digital World would have been covered in his unending blood. In Narakumon's desperation - and anguish - he did not foresee just how badly it would overtake his Dark Ocean."

Miyako slowly raised her head, her eyes cutting into Cassandramon like daggers. "Not like you, right, miss psychic?"

Cassandramon tilted her head as she met Miyako's gaze unflinchingly. "It was the least destructive outcome."

Miyako's irritation turned to shock as her jaw dropped. It took her a moment to blurt out her response. "Are you serious!?"

"The Digital World can still function despite the current situation," Cassandramon replied. "Digimon can still die and be reborn. The alternative offered no such option."

"What would've happened if it went somewhere else?" Taichi asked, a strong feeling of foreboding drawing out his question with a hesitant note.

Cassandramon calmly met Taichi's wavering gaze. "You don't wish to know."

Taichi frowned as he shot her a glare in return. "Hey, don't treat us like kids!"

Cassandramon tilted her head to the side, lightly pressing her fingertips together. "I could describe every single atrocity that resulted from any number of possible futures that you wish, in far more detail than you could ever want. However, you are not asking me that question because you want answers that will give you more nightmares to haunt you for the rest of your life. You want to know if you can handle the challenge the Dark Ocean poses."

Taichi tripped over his thoughts as he struggled to come back with a confident response despite the growing dread pooling in his gut. "Um…I…"

Agumon glanced at his partner before turning to Cassandramon. "I guess? I mean… what could possibly be worse than this? It seems pretty bad."

"Imagine those faces you could not look upon," Cassandramon replied. "Now imagine them on every single Digimon, every single human - instead of just those unfortunate enough to have been in Huanglongmon's reach when he died."

Miyako let out a choked sound and buried her face in the pillow, fighting hard to keep her lunch against her stomach's sudden rebellion.

Yamato shuddered, trying to rub away the goosebumps on his arms to no avail.

"Okay, yeah," Taichi croaked out, his voice weak. "Point taken."

"Wait," Tailmon said as her ears canted back. While the conversation was still important, something far _more_ important just dawned on her. "So if the Dark Ocean is actually Darkness, then why did the Crest of Miracles work?"

"The Crest of Miracles was manipulating Huanglongmon's blood," Cassandramon said. "The crests were designed to control the Digital Gods of our world - and that would include even the blood that flows through their veins."

Tailmon stared at the seer, aghast. "The crests were designed to _what!_?"

"The crest… manipulated the _blood_?" Jou repeated, incredulous. "The Crest of Miracles made those golden walls… out of Huanglongmon's _blood_?!"

"Yes," Cassandramon said, with a small nod.

"Well, isn't _that_ morbid." Gomamon said with a grimace.

Monodramon covered his mouth with both hands as he stared in shock at the oracle, then quickly shifted his hands to hold his head. The very idea that he would _desecrate_ his god in such a manner was unthinkable - almost as unthinkable as his gods' cruel undying fate. "B-b-b-but I didn't know…!"

"None of us knew," Sora said quietly as she pressed closer to Taichi.

"Wait, hold on, go back!" Koshiro shouted, waving his arm around frantically to get Cassandramon's attention. "What was that about the crests? They were 'designed to control the Digital Gods'?"

"How else would the humans have been able to restrain a god of life, death, and reality in their own world?" Cassandramon asked, tilting her head from side to side. "And then torture them to death."

Koshiro abandoned his typing, lowering the monitor of his computer to get a clearer view of Casandramon. "No, I mean, the part about the crests, _our crests_ being able to control them. How is that possible? The crests were made by the 15 of us, right?"

"Yes," Cassandramon replied. "You intuitively decided the forms the crests would take."

Koshiro stared at Cassandramon, his mind going into overdrive trying to fit together the contradiction. "But you just said the crests were designed to control the DigiGods. None of us here can do that. None of us _want_ to do that."

"You are correct," Cassandramon said. "None of you received the proper training, so you are unable to use your crests as intended."

Taichi held his head, feeling the tension slowly coalesce into a headache. "Wait… hang on. What? Why would the DigiGods want us to control them? They were the ones who made us Chosen, weren't they?"

"The Chosen of Darkness knew how to fully use her crest," Cassandramon continued, as though Taichi hadn't spoken. "Zhuqiaomon hated her for it."

"Keiko wouldn't do that to Narakumon!" Hikari blurted out, immediately feeling the need to rush to Keiko's defense. "She loves Narakumon and Tenraimon. They made her their daughter!"

"Indeed," Cassandramon agreed. "Which is why Narakumon taught her how to use it. He trusted that she would never use that knowledge to abuse him - only to protect the world and herself. His trust in her was… surprisingly deep."

"What, you're telling me that you didn't see that one coming?" Daisuke blurted out before instinctively cringing back. He chided himself harshly while rubbing his grimacing mouth. He knew he needed to watch himself before he jumped right into provocative statements like that.

Cassandramon didn't seem particularly offended as she focused on Daisuke, her expression as serene as it ever was. "Seeing and understanding are not the same thing."

Miyako held her hand up as she slowly raised her head from the pillow. "Teacher, is there another person who is able and willing to explain this whole 'control the gods' thing who we can have easy access to later? Because I am _done_."

"Yes," Cassandramon replied. "Jijimon and Babamon are very familiar with the situation. Now that you have gone to the Dark Ocean, they will answer your questions."

"And we can talk to you later, right?" Miyako asked, propping herself up onto her arms. "I mean, you will willingly come answer our questions at some point in the near future in a non-convoluted way that will not require some insanely taxing quest for us just to reach you again?"

"Yes," Cassandramon said. "I can guarantee that much."

"Okay," Miyako said before flopping back down onto the pillow. "Then thank you for the horrifying new revelations. They'll go nicely with the other nightmares I'll be having from here on out. But I'll take a raincheck on getting anymore crammed into my head right now. Who's with me?"

"Me," Takeru said as he raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed. "Too much is happening at once. Let's worry about everything else after we've had a chance to recover from _fleeing for our lives from a giant zombie dragon_ because I am not ready to talk about any of this _._ "

"I agree," Sora said as she finally pulled back from Taichi enough that she could look him in the eye before gazing at the others. "Right now, we need to get Ryo home and…" As she turned her head in the direction of FlaWizarmon, she stopped when her eyes instead fell on nothing but empty space. "…Huh?"

Taichi immediately tensed up, growing alert despite his frazzled nerves as he looked around for any sign of FlaWizarmon, Witchmon, and - most importantly - Ryo. Unfortunately, he quickly realized the truth. "They're gone!"

"Huh?" Monodramon blinked before he quickly glanced over to where FlaWizarmon had been, confirming his absence. "H-h-huh!? What!?" The small dragon immediately leapt to his feet, flailing. "W-w-wait! L-Lord Ryo is gone!"

"They left," Cassandramon said as she pressed her fingertips together. "Several minutes ago."

"And you just let them go!?" Yamato demanded as he finally scrambled to his feet. "You didn't say anything!?"

"No," Cassandramon replied. "I did not."

Miyako lifted her head just enough to glare at Cassandramon out of the corner of her eye. "This is going to be a running theme with you, isn't it?"

"Yes," Cassandramon said, completely unabashed.

Miyako groaned and buried her face back into the pillow to unleash another muffled scream.

"What the hell!" Daisuke blurted out as he looked around as well, despite how futile the gesture clearly was. He clenched his fists before throwing one upwards as if to punch the air. "Where did they go!?"

"They only helped so they could get their hands on Ryo!" V-mon growled as he clenched his fists and threw them both upwards, mimicking his partner.

"Surely they don't intend harm to Ryo," Iori said, struggling to rationalize what had just happened. Even if the two were servants - and friends - of Ken, he couldn't fathom them bringing harm to Ryo. "Perhaps they simply… brought him home?"

Hikari looked over at Cassandramon, brow furrowed with uncertainty. "Could you please tell us where Ryo is right now, Cassandramon?"

"She means _would_ you tell us," Miyako interjected with a displeased grunt as she propped herself up onto her arms to gaze at Cassandramon pointedly. "We already know you _could,_ and I'm so very not in the mood for mind games and pedantic wordplay right now."

Cassandramon tilted her head to the side as she regarded Hikari and then Miyako before returning her gaze to the Chosen of Light. "The Chosen of Honor is correct - the Chosen of Miracles was returned to his family. They are panicking at the moment, and will eventually finish their hysterics." Her eyes all blinked at once. "Eventually."

Hikari blinked as well. "Witchmon and FlaWizarmon didn't stick around to explain things?"

"They're Digimon," Daisuke said. "Them showing up probably freaked out Ryo's parents even more."

Hikari frowned, looking over at Daisuke. "I don't know. Keiko's family knew about Digimon, and it didn't sound like Ryo's parents are, well…" She trailed off, her brow furrowing as her thoughts turned to Ken.

"Like Ken's," Daisuke finished for her in a grumble.

Hikari nodded sadly. "Right…"

"The Akiyamas knew of Digimon and the Digital World, but their understanding is very basic," Cassandramon replied. "However, no amount of understanding will accommodate for the appearance of a child previously thought to be dead - several years after said death."

Hikari cringed and held Tailmon tighter.

"So basically, they're dealing with some pretty heavy emotions right now," Tailmon muttered.

"Like we are," Mimi murmured, feeling a pang of guilt as she looked around at her friends. "Especially all of you. Even going to the Dark World for a little while was like walking through a nightmare. What you all went through sounds a hundred times worse than that!"

"I got it!" Koshiro blurted out, his eyes lighting up with triumph as he looked at his laptop. "I was able to recover the video data!" A moment later, he noticed the gazes upon him, unease creeping up his spine as he belatedly noticed how much heavier the mood had grown. "Oh, um…"

"I agree with Takeru," Iori said after a moment's hesitation. "We have done enough for today, and we need time to recover from what has happened." For a moment he paused before moving back to the table, snatching up the floppy disc before holding it up for others to see. "We also have something to discuss, but it can wait - it can _all_ wait - until everyone is ready. Now that Ryo is safe, there is no longer a sense of urgency and we can afford a moment to gather ourselves." He took a moment to scan the faces of the other Chosen for any sign of argument. "Does anyone disagree?"

Mimi furrowed her brow. While she wanted to fix the Village of Beginnings as soon as possible, it was pretty clear that whatever the others had experienced had taken a toll on them - a role that she hadn't been forced to play. She couldn't be selfish and suggest they do more with that guilt hanging over her head. "No, you're right. We should all go home and talk about things tomorrow - after everyone has had a chance to recover."

"No argument here," Yamato muttered as he reached over to pat Takeru's shoulder. "Let's go home."

"Great job today, everyone," Taichi said as he gave the other Chosen Children a weary smile. "Unless anyone can think of something we need to deal with right now, let's call it a day and go home."

Monodramon frowned as he watched the Chosen Children murmur their agreements, knowing full well that it meant they would be departing soon afterwards. And while he certainly understood the feeling, he wasn't simply content to leave things as they were - even if it was just for the moment. He shifted his gaze down to the Crest of Miracles around his neck, his eyes narrowing slightly, before he quickly stood up. Glancing at the human children one last time, Monodramon quickly scurried out of the room.

Cassandramon stood in the doorway, watching the Chosen Children. She gave no indication that she saw Monodramon's departure, nor the golden Digital Gate that flashed into existence for a brief moment before he was gone. She remained like a sentinel, her robes and wings nearly blocking the doorway as she appeared focused on the Chosen Children alone.

Cassandramon didn't spare even a glance to the injured purple-furred draconian Digimon crouched at the top of the stairwell that led deep into the depths. The DORUmon's golden eyes were staring intently at Cassandramon's back, tensely waiting in the shadows to see if she would notice him as she prattled on to the weary children. However, his impatience grew as time ticked by - which was not helped in the least by the temptation presented by the front door that had been left slightly ajar for reasons unknown. Such good fortune couldn't be ignored, and with the oracle and humans being so oblivious, the small dragon Digimon had no choice but to go for it. Steeling himself, he bolted across the floor as quickly as his injuries allowed before he slipped through the crack in the door - just big enough for him to fit - into the world outside.

Cassandramon continued to watch the Chosen Children, her impassive expression unchanged save for a small smile that appeared on her lips.

* * *

Sora sighed wearily as she opened the front door to her home, stopping only to remove her shoes and place them in their designated spot in the foyer. She was so glad to finally be back, safe and sound in her home. It was a sense of normalcy she needed that could help her get past what she had just experienced - and seen."We're home…"

"We're hoooome, we're hoooome~!" Piyomon sang as she spun about her partner, her cheer an ever welcome presence for Sora - despite having experienced the same horrors herself.

Sora smiled down at her partner before she began walking further in to her home. "Mother? I'm…" She quieted upon hearing her mother speaking and turned the corner to see Yoshiko standing by the phone with the receiver to her ear. Sora paused as she blinked, quickly catching herself so as to not rudely interrupt her mother's conversation. "Oh…"

It was then that Sora noticed what Yoshiko was saying.

"I see," Yoshiko said. "And that was when she quit the club?"

Sora's eyes widened as she immediately realized what was happening. So much had happened that she had completely forgotten about the bit of drama at the tennis club. All at once, it occurred to her fully what she had done, and how she had spoken to the coach. Even more, she hadn't even asked her mother if she _could_ quit the club - she just made the decision for herself and walked out. Only now, confronted with the sight of Yoshiko presumably hearing it from her coach, did it occur to her that her mother might not have approved of her actions. Even worse, her mother was hearing a very one-sided account from the person with the most to gain from painting her in the worst possible light. "Ah…"

However, before Sora could fully fall down that rabbit hole that her mind promptly leapt to, her mother began to speak again.

"…I see," Yoshiko said again before she paused, apparently listening. After a moment she furrowed her brow. "Yes, I completely agree. Clubs provide a very important opportunity for children to learn responsibility and cooperation, and they should be taken very seriously."

Sora cringed, her hands dropping to her sides as she lowered her head. Piyomon quickly rushed to her side, gripping her hand with her wings.

"However," Yoshiko continued. "None of that applies to my daughter."

The Chosen of Love paused at that and looked up at her mother, eyes widening.

" _No_ ," Yoshiko said firmly, raising her voice authoritatively. "It doesn't." Her expression grew stern, the type of face a mother would make when scolding a child. "What you seem to not understand is that Sora does not _need_ to learn - she has _already_ learned. She has great responsibilities, far greater than any child her age should _ever_ have to bear, which she performs consistently and with great care and consideration."

Sora felt her heart skip a beat, even as a flush of red appeared on her cheeks.

"The only thing I expected of you is to provide an environment where she could _forget_ those responsibilities, even if only for a moment, and enjoy being a normal girl with her classmates," Yoshiko continued, her voice like steel. "And if you are unable to provide that, then I agree with my daughter - it would be a complete waste of her time to continue attending your club."

Piyomon swung Sora's arms back and forth, fighting back the urge to gush as she hopped in place from happiness. She didn't even mind that the Chosen of Love stood completely rigid, scarcely daring to breathe.

In an instant, Yoshiko's expression froze over and the air around her dropped several degrees. "My husband is not home. And even if he was, his answer would be the same. Now, if you'll excuse me, it seems you're wasting my time as well. Have a good evening."

Without waiting for a response, Yoshiko hung up the phone, as calmly as if she had just finished a pleasant conversation rather than the one Sora had just overheard. A tense silence settled into the hallway as Yoshiko stared down at the phone while Sora stood gaping at her mother.

The silence lasted only a moment more Yoshiko spoke again.

"Sora," Yoshiko said, the Chosen of Love jumping slightly at the sound of her name. Rather than stern disapproval, Sora's mother instead turned to gently smile at her daughter. "Welcome home. Could you help me with dinner?"

Sora stared at her mother before a bright smile appeared on her face, even as tears of relief and happiness appeared in her eyes. "Coming~!"

* * *

The darkness that shrouded the Digimon Kaiser's command center was momentarily broken by a flash of fire that signalled FlaWizarmon's return, seconds before Witchmon appeared behind him within the rippling of her cloak. The relief on their faces was palpable, and neither bothered to hide it nor the hint of tears that had threatened to flow. They were, after all, entitled to that feeling after so long.

The Digimon Kaiser's back was to the two as he focused on the screens in front of him, with Dracomon hovering around his chair closely. He didn't look back at the tearful pair, not even to acknowledge their arrival.

"Welp," FlaWizarmon said as he reached up to pull on the brim of his hat. "As ya mighta saw… the mission was a huge success. An overwhelmin' success."

"Ryo is safe," Witchmon sighed, a smile stretched across her face. "He's finally back home with his family."

If either of the Digimon were expecting a response, the Digimon Kaiser left them wanting. He continued to watch the screen intently, his entire body tense as he seemed like a wire spring about to snap.

FlaWizarmon blinked before he frowned, taking in the sight of their little tyrant but also the way Dracomon was crouched, tail lashing slightly. Little alarm bells went off in the back of his head. "What's wrong, Kaiser-kun?"

Only then did the Digimon Kaiser respond, suddenly pointing up to the screens. The gesture caused both Witchmon and FlaWizarmon to look up, just in time to see two scenes side-by-side on the monitors - one of the purple-furred dragon glaring at the Chosen before fleeing into the Dark Ocean, and the other of the same creature sneaking out of the Crystal Tower.

"You have a new mission," the Digimon Kaiser said. " _Find that thing_!"

* * *

 _The light in the hospital nursery was dim, dark enough to not keep the newborns awake but bright enough to allow the caretakers to see their charges. Dozens of infant bassinets lined the room in neat rows, looking like tiny little hospital beds that were just the right size for the newborns resting in them. Each looking just as wrinkly as the next, the babies were mostly quiet as they slept._

 _A soft light flickered into existence amidst the tiny beds, small green squares of data assembling to create the form of a woman. She didn't look out of place in the hospital, with her long white lab coat covering most of her body, dutifully buttoned up so that there was no hint at what rested underneath. Even her white pants blended in with her lab coat, stiff and neat as they covered every inch of skin straight down to her heavy-duty black boots._

 _With her neutral expression and long black hair pulled tight and restrained in a braid that didn't allow even a single hair to go astray, her entire appearance was clinical and orderly, making her right at home among the hospital equipment._

 _The woman glanced about, her almond-colored eyes scouring the room as her expression never changed. Seemingly satisfied with what she saw, she then lowered her gaze before her and lifted her hand. Out of nowhere, an ephemeral green computer screen materialized in front of her, presenting ever flowing data before her. She tapped her finger against the screen, pressing a button that had appeared before her as if in anticipation of her intentions._

 _A white light suddenly began to flow into the room like a fog. Drifting across the floor, it slowly began to rise upwards until it flowed over the edges of the bassinets, pooling around the infants as they slept._

 _At first, nothing seemed to happen as the strange light filled each bed, engulfing the innocent children. It wasn't until several minutes had passed in silence before the crying began. It seemed like a domino effect, as all at once the children began to react. Some screeched while others bawled, with others beginning to cough far too violently for their little bodies. The clamor intensified to the point that surely the caretakers should have been rushing in to check what was happening - and they would have, if the electronic doors had been working._

 _As nurses began to panic, some calling for security while others struggled against the doors, trying to force them open without much success, the woman in the lab coat remained completely unmoved by the scene carrying out in front of her. She didn't even react when one of the doctors began pounding on the viewing glass behind her, screaming at her to identify and explain herself even as the words themselves failed to pierce the glass. Instead, the woman kept her eyes firmly on the distressed infants, as unmoving as a statue._

 _Then, it finally happened._

 _Before the woman's eyes, the white light began to take on a pink hue. As the color changed, the light shifted to focus around the bassinet of the only child in the room that wasn't in clear distress - a little boy with the barest hints of purple hair and bright blue eyes._

 _The little boy glanced about in confusion, seeking the source of the others' obvious upset. As the pink light gathered around the boy before flowing into him, he furrowed his brow as tears flooded his eyes - not over his own distress but as a result of the suffering going on around him. As the newborn began to bawl with the others, the pink light shifted into what appeared to be digital data of 0s and 1's before it disappeared within him, and the light that had flooded the room disappeared entirely._

 _The woman tapped at the monitor in front of her and a second menu suddenly appeared, this one a simple list broken down into three sections. Made of three symbols with words beside them, it hovered directly in front of the woman -'Darkness - Keiko Makura', 'Miracles - Ryo Akiyama', and 'Light - Hikari Yagami'. Beneath the names, there were four spots listed, all filled in - save one, directly under Light. Before the woman's eyes, pink writing appeared, spelling out a name - Ken Ichijouji._

" _That's it, then!" a male voice came seemingly from thin air. "That's the last one!"_

" _Hah, Merry Christmas indeed!" a female voice chimed in._

" _Let's break out the champagne!" another male voice said._

" _But first, get out of there before the police show up," the first male voice said._

" _This proves it, doesn't it?" a third male asked. "Susceptibility to the Digital World_ _ **is**_ _hereditary."_

" _Inconclusive," the woman in the nursery said as she tapped at the window, closing it._

" _B-but, we're three for three at this point! Six out of fifteen are siblings!" the third male voice protested._

" _And nine are not," the woman replied. "Therefore, it is inconclusive. We would need further study involving a larger sample and a control group in order to definitively rule one way or another."_

" _Leave it to you to be pedantic about this." the first male voice said with a sigh. "Can't you just be_ _ **happy**_ _?"_

" _I_ _ **am**_ _happy," the woman replied, tapping the screen again before her body began to dissolve, bits of data drifting upwards. "But I am also_ _ **scientific**_ _."_

 _As the woman dissolved, the electronic lock on the door suddenly began to work again, allowing doctors, nurses, and security to burst into the room just as every last trace of the woman disappeared into the ether._

" _You just have to take the piss out of everything, Chiyoko."_

Ryo jolted awake, breathless and overflowing with adrenaline that jostled his body and left him spasming faintly. Blindly, he grasped around him for purchase as he struggled to regain his breath and calm his racing heart. His fingers snagged on soft fabric, tangling the thick sheets around him in his struggles.

The echoes of the screaming infants died away and were replaced with the rhythmic ticking of a clock, chiming out a beat that moved slower than his racing heartbeat. The slow and steady tick-tock-tick-tock repeated endlessly, like a mantra, only slightly louder than the gentle thrum of air flowing through unseen vents. The smell around him was familiar, nostalgic, of plastics, detergent, and other things he couldn't recognize beyond the sense of home. The familiar quiet allowed his heart to slow and allowed his mind to slowly regain its clarity. When his eyes focused around him, he was greeted by the familiar scene of his own night-shrouded bedroom, lying on his back in his bed with face half-buried under a moist washcloth.

As Ryo stared into the darkness, he became aware of a soft golden glow approaching him. He blinked before he turned his head to find himself staring at a glowing golden triangle above a large pair of golden eyes. The calm he reclaimed shattered instantly as he bolted upright with a cry, knocking the washcloth from his brow.

"A-a-ah, it's okay, L-lord Ryo!" a shy, stammering little voice came from the glowing eyes and triangle.

Ryo clutched his chest and tried to will his heart to calm back down as he realized that it was a Digimon.

Monodramon stepped back against the chair he had been sitting in before he moved back to Ryo's side and raised his claws in a placating gesture. "I-I apologize for startling you!"

"O-oh, it's… you," Ryo said, his voice distant as he stared at Monodramon, disoriented. He took a moment to look around, a part of him expecting to see someone else for a reason he couldn't identify, when his brain caught up with his mouth and he turned back to the little Digimon. "Wait, who are you…? Where is…is this Earth? Is this my…?"

"M-my name is Monodramon, Lord Ryo," Monodramon said before he gave a slight bow. At seeing the young boy's vacant expression, he cringed a little. "Y-you are home, Lord Ryo. You've been unconscious for s-several hours."

Ryo frowned. While that was not exactly pleasant news, it only made him feel more convinced that he was forgetting something important. He did a slow pan of the room, struggling to figure out what he was missing, before his gaze fell on a small bowl of water with another washcloth floating in it, along with a small stool by his nightstand. He stared at both for several moments before he shifted his gaze back to Monodramon, feeling a bit sheepish and awkward. "You took care of me, right? Thanks…"

"Y-y-y-ou're w-welcome, Lord Ryo!" Monodramon stammered, his cheeks tinting slightly as he steepled his claw tips together anxiously. "I… I've been watching over you. I-I know it's not a lot, but I could at least do this much..." A sudden thought sent him jerking upright, his eyes flying open wide. "A-ah! That reminds me! P-p-please excuse me a moment!"

Ryo turned to watch in confusion as the purple dragon got up and scurried to his bedroom door as fast as his little stubby legs could carry him, leaving him staring blankly after.

There was little time for Ryo to do more than furrow his brow and give his room another look-over before an outburst of raised voices drew his attention back to his door. The sound of footsteps rang noisily in the dark hallway seconds before his door burst open, revealing his parents, Ryuichi and Heather Akiyama.

Even in the dark, his mother's vibrant red hair and bright blue eyes stood out strikingly. The shape of his face and the brown of his hair came from his father, though the man's hair was far darker, matching his eyes.

The lights flicked on and Ryo had to turn away, squinting as his eyes were forced to adjust to the sudden brightness. Even still, he saw the way his parents stared at him for a moment in silent shock before both flew to his side

"Wha… what?" Ryo stammered, dazed. "Is Millenniumon attacki-?"

Heather cut Ryo off as she sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her son close, a sob shuddering from her chest as tears spilled down her freckled cheeks. "Ryo…! Ryo!"

Ryuchi stopped just short of Heather and placed a hand on the back of her head while the other ruffled Ryo's hair. The position was too awkward for him to join in on the hug properly, so he leaned in as close as possible, tears prickling at his eyes. "Ryo… you're awake."

Monodramon tentatively peered into the room, but hesitated to move further than the doorway. Going any further would be intruding, so he instead opted to keep his distance - at least for the moment.

"M-mom? Dad?" Ryo asked in a daze. "What's going on…?"

"You're home, you're _finally_ home," Heather choked out between tears as she trembled. "We thought you were _dead_!"

Ryo felt his throat dry up. "Wh… what?"

Ryuichi slumped a bit as he exhaled deeply, emphasizing the lines around his eyes to draw out a map of exhaustion. "It's been three years since you disappeared."

The floor dropped out from under Ryo and sent him into freefall even though he still remained secure in his mother's arms. "Three… _three years!?_ "

Ryuichi nodded before he furrowed his brow, looking his son over. "And yet… it's like you haven't changed at all… you don't look even a single day older."

"I don't care, I don't even _care_ at this point!" Heather said as she shook her head vigorously. "I don't care why… Ryo is home, our _son_ is home! Nothing else matters!"

Ryuichi paused before his expression softened. "That's right. He's alive, that's all that matters."

"I… I don't understand," Ryo muttered. His mind raced, his parents' words sending a flurry of fragmented memories flying through his head. Everyone was gathered together at the Crystal Tower, discussing their strategy. Through the haze in his brain, he could see them - Keiko, Nyamon, Leomon, and many others. It felt so recent, and yet so far away. "No, we… we just left the meeting, on our way to confront him… confront Zeed! How could it be three years…?"

"U-um," Monodramon fidgeted by the doorway, drawing the humans' attention to him. "T-there's no easy way to say this, Lord Ryo… but y-you've been in the Dark Ocean this whole time. D-do you really not remember anything...?"

A terrible chill raced down Ryo's spine and seeped deep down into his bones, sending shivers through his tense muscles. He could almost smell a hint of smoke and feel a sudden rush of heat, the edge of an explosion, before it too drifted away and the cold returned in full force. "No… no. Nothing. I just feel like I overslept." He straightened up and wrapped his arms around himself as he grew colder still. "What happened to Ken and Keiko?"

"L-Lady Keiko is…" Monodramon began before he trailed off, lowering his head. He knew that he needed to say the words, and yet he lacked the strength to do it. It filled him with guilt as his tail moved between his legs.

"Keiko is missing," his mother said as she sat on the bed, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "And Ken has recently gone missing too."

"Keiko went missing when you did," Ryo's father said, though he kept his gaze on some unseen point far in the distance. "While Ken supposedly ran away a couple weeks ago… but I don't think his parents are really in the loop when it comes to Digimon, so they're probably just assuming that's what happened."

Ryo began pulling off the sheets in spite of the cold. "I've got to find them." However, before he could leave the bed, his mother's strong hands on his shoulders stopped him.

"Ryo," she said gently, but with a commanding rigidity backing it that came from years of military life. "You're barely keeping yourself steady right now. You don't have to push yourself to the breaking point after you've gone through so much already."

"We've already called the Ryuzakis, and we're getting you checked out by one of their doctors," Ryuichi said while idly stroking his goatee. "And they can probably fill you in better than we can. Either way, you need to focus on yourself for the moment."

"T-that's right!" Monodramon said, clenching his fists with a shaky nod. "D-don't worry, Lord Zhuqiaomon is doing his best to help, s-so… so d-d-d-don't worry!" He paused before he clapped his claws together. "A-and the other Chosen Children, too! They're the ones who helped me rescue you, so… so...!"

"But…," Ryo began, but faltered as his mother pressed him down onto the bed and tucked the sheets snugly around him.

"This is why we have email," Heather said a little more gently. "You have friends - let them help you." Her voice caught as she dabbed at her red-tinged blue eyes with the back of her hand. "Besides… it might not feel like it to you, but you've been gone so long that we…" She swallowed a lump in her throat. "We were afraid that you were never coming home."

"We just you back," Ryuichi said as he ruffled Ryo's soft brown hair. "We're not exactly eager to see you run right back into danger. Besides, even the military gives time for its soldiers to rest and recover with their family between campaigns."

Guilt twisted Ryo's heart as he reluctantly got comfortable again. "Mom… Dad… I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

Heather shushed him before she bent down to kiss his forehead. "We know you didn't, and we know what happens to the Digital World could destroy our world too. We know the pressure you're under and how worried you are for your friends, but you're still only human."

"Give your body a chance to recover," Ryuichi said before reaching out to ruffle his son's hair. "After that, you can run head-first into danger as many times as you like."

"I…" Ryo faltered, but he found no strength to argue. "Okay."

Ryo's head swam with chaotic thoughts and memories that lurked in the shadows of his mind, prickly with jagged edges bleeding him as he dared even the briefest of brushes. It left him shaking and burrowing deeper into the bedding for warmth. He was in a world where three years went by without him, and his closest friends were missing. Zeed Millenniumon was responsible for all of it, he knew it, and that monster was out there coming up with more terrible schemes, he was certain of it.

Even though he had already slept so much, Ryo still felt tired. There was a pressure on his mind even as his thoughts raced in circles, fearing for Keiko and Ken and the Digital World all at once. Concern for himself was only a fleeting thought while his half-closed eyes watched his parents as they simply kept him company.

Three years. Three _years_. Ryo couldn't even imagine what his parents had gone through in all that time. Keiko disappeared just as long - her family must have been going through the same hell. Where was she?

Fear clawed at his mind and throat, suffocating Ryo even as he tried to swallow more air. Flames, lies, and overwhelming emotion burned his mind and drove him to retreat. He clung to the feeling of his mother stroking his hair and an old familiar lullaby she used to sing whenever he had a nightmare. It reminded him that he was safe.

But his friends weren't.

While his fears for what might've happened to Keiko ran rampant, Ryo clung to the hope that contacting Ken would be as easy as sending an email. Ken was always so lonely; three years without his friends no doubt its toll, especially with _those two_ as parents. Perhaps he took the advice Keiko gave him more than once so long ago and permanently fled their abuse for a better life in Crystal Tower.

It was the best scenario Ryo could hope for, and he clung to it to keep the sharp shadows lurking in his mind from bleeding him dry.

* * *

Footsteps echoed through the darkened hallway with nary a light in sight. All of the electronic light panels along the walls were off, offering not even a single attempt to illuminate the way. However, the Digimon Kaiser didn't need any assistance, as the lenses of his goggles functioned like night vision, casting the scene before him in a green tint that showed him everything - including the door hidden among the shadows.

The Digimon Kaiser paused at the door before he glanced about, ensuring he had not been followed, save by Dracomon, who stood further down the hallway. The draconian Digimon's eyes focused on the human tyrant before he turned and sat down, guarding the entrance like a silent gargoyle.

The Digimon Kaiser lowered his head slightly before he turned back to the door. Reaching over to touch a panel beside it, electronics flickered alive for barely a second before the door opened with a 'swoosh', then swiftly closing after the human entered.

Dark gave way to light as the tyrant was greeted by the sight reminiscent of a hospital room. Numerous equipment lined the walls, though they were all mostly centered around a large hospital bed - albeit a rather comfortable looking one, with plenty of cushion for its occupant. Unfortunately, such comfort was more of a consolation prize, with all the tubes and wires attached to said occupant through his hospital gown - from heart monitors and an IV drip to a metal skull cap with wires attached to the largest piece of equipment by the headboard.

This hidden and most important patient lying on the bed, staring at nothing with unseeing empty eyes, was Ken Ichijouji.

The Digimon Kaiser walked up to the side of the bed, staring down at the Chosen of Kindness with an unreadable expression. It was a long while before he finally cleared his throat.

"Ken," he said with an uncharacteristic gentleness to his voice. "They did it. They managed to save Ryo." He paused for a moment, but there was no movement of the patient save for deep, rhythmic breathing. "He's home now, probably sleeping it off like it was nothing but a bad dream. He's oblivious to everything that's happened, like he always is."

Ken offered no response, not that the Digimon Kaiser expected any. The Chosen of Kindness showed no sign that he had even heard the words being spoken, let alone recognized what they meant.

"They intend to save Keiko next," the tyrant said, raising his voice as if that itself was the problem. "It's completely insane and defies everything we know - science, biology, _reality_ itself. But they're actually going to try and do it… and they might actually succeed."

The Digimon Kaiser waited a moment as he watched Ken breathe softly. As the seconds ticked by with no signs of activity from the unmoving child, and no changes on the monitoring equipment, the Digimon Kaiser lowered his head.

"Now, it's your turn," he said, his voice rough. "Come back to us, Ken."

The tyrant reached over to touch his hand against Ken's own, the gloved digits eliciting not even the tiniest reaction from the other boy. The Digimon Kaiser clenched his teeth as his hand gave a small tremor.

"Everyone is waiting for you…"


	10. Chapter 10

Night covered the Digital World, casting its darkness across the land. It amplified the shadows already plaguing the forest, making it all the easier for things to go unnoticed in the underbrush. Or, more specifically, to _hide_ among it.

The DORUmon looked no worse for wear than he had earlier in the day, but he certainly didn't look any better. The furred Digimon had no time to rest for longer than a few minutes as he dragged his battered body through the prickly underbrush, making his way forward - and _away_ from the Crystal Tower.

Unfortunately, his efforts had apparently been for naught. A sudden burst of fire illuminated the forest, casting its glow along the trees so that their bark appeared to glow orange. It immediately made the DORUmon pause and whip his head about to stare, his golden eyes searching for the source.

He didn't have to look far, immediately settling on FlaWizarmon, who stood several feet away, holding one of his burning matchsticks out. He gave the DORUmon a saucy smile before pressing his middle and pointer finger together, then touching them to his forehead in a little salute.

"Good evenin'~!" FlaWizarmon said, cheerfully. "Strange place to have a night stroll, dontcha think?"

The DORUmon said nothing as he stared hard at FlaWizarmon, though the canting back of his ears and the clench of his jaw spoke far louder than any words could have.

"Now, now, now," a voice purred from someplace behind and above the DORUmon and he whipped his head around to see Witchmon descend from the sky on her broom. Her razor sharp teeth curved upward and caught the light like a vicious crescent moon. "What do we have here?"

The DORUmon glared at Witchmon before slowly turning about sideways so that he could watch FlaWizarmon out of his peripheral vision. His tail gave a small lash as his eyes began to glow, the golden light making him stand out that much more against the darkness.

"You look like shit, didja know that?" FlaWizarmon asked, deceptively casual as he slowly moved to match the DORUmon's own, still holding his matchstick up. "Like someone chewed ya up and spit ya out."

The DORUmon's answer was to hiss and dive to the side through bushes in a desperate attempt to escape the pair.

Witchmon's smile widened, her eyes glinting with excitement of the hunt as she immediately gave chase. "Going so soon, dearie? The night's still-"

A loud roar echoed through the night, cutting off Witchmon's quip and drawing her attention to the source directly behind her. Her ephemeral cat arched its back and let out a warning screech, giving her just enough time to narrowly avoid rows of razor sharp teeth that came down where she had been not a moment before.

It was only when Witchmon had flown halfway to FlaWizarmon's side that she saw what Digimon that had attacked her, and the color drained from her face. "Ch-Chimeramon!?"

"You… you bastard!" FlaWizarmon snarled, immediately shifting his focus away from the fleeing DORUmon to face an old threat seemingly come alive again. Even through the surprise, it wasn't hard to figure out what had happened. "So you escaped too, did you!?"

Chimeramon's response was another roar before he lunged forward, charging at the duo without any concern for the trees that splintered around him like matchsticks against his massive bulk.

Witchmon snatched FlaWizarmon by the arm and flew back with him, darting to and fro through the trees, narrowly escaping the grasping claws of their old foe. "Shit! Shit, shit, _shit!_ "

Chimeramon pursued the duo noisily, mindless of the devastation he wrought to the forest as he charged them like a stampeding bull. He made a great show of snapping his jaws, an obvious threat of what he intended to do when he caught them.

"Not in a talkin' mood, are ya?" FlaWizarmon growled through gritted teeth as he was carried by Witchmon, his other hand still gripping his smoldering matchstick. He swiftly brought it up to point it at their attacker. "Well, neither am _I_ …"

The scarecrow Digimon was never able to get an attack off. Instead, he paused as his eyes widened, gaping as Chimeramon started falling apart right in front of them. Bits of gold data dissolved away from the beast's face, which glitched and spasmed even as he continued onward after them. Soon, his whole body was melting, dissolving, before he burst in to a spray of golden data that disappeared into the night just as rapidly as he had appeared.

Witchmon stopped as she turned to stare, her disbelieving expression matching FlaWizarmon's own. They hovered in the air for several moments before the witch Digimon finally flew low enough that she could put FlaWizarmon down on the ground, though the two didn't stop scanning their surroundings for their missing foe.

"Where the hell did he go?" FlaWizarmon asked as he drew his second matchstick, igniting it so that both weapons were at the ready. "How can something that big just… disappear?"

"What should we do?" Witchmon asked, her cat arching its back to hiss aggressively, spitting at shadows in case one happened to contain Chimeramon's twisted form.

FlaWizarmon turned back to Witchmon. "We need some backup-"

He was cut off when a glowing green screen appeared between the two Digimon, each side showing the grim face of the Digimon Kaiser looking right at them.

"That's enough," the Digimon Kaiser said. "Come back. There's something you two need to see."

FlaWizarmon and Witchmon gaped at the human child before them, then shared a confused look. The duo blinked at each other and then returned their attention to the Digimon Kaiser. Their body posture eased, as the tyrant's command could only mean one thing - their prey had escaped.

"You got it, Kaiser-kun," FlaWizarmon said as he extinguished the flames on his matchsticks.

"Right away, dearie," Witchmon agreed.

It didn't take long for FlaWizarmon and Witchmon to teleport back to base, finding the Digimon Kaiser in his central control room, surrounded by computer monitors - precisely where they had left him. Dragomon was dutifully by the boy's side, turning his head to acknowledge their arrival in place of the tyrant.

"So," FlaWizarmon said as he moved to lean against the wall by the door, crossing his arms. "I take it you saw somethin' we didn't, Kaiser-kun?"

Instead of answering with words, the Digimon Kaiser shrank all the monitors but two with a few taps of his fingers, bringing them to the forefront and increasing their size. Although much of the monitors were filled with forest foliage, it was clear that they were both taken at the moment the DORUmon stared down Witchmon with FlaWizarmon right behind him, just from different angles. With a flick of the Digimon Kaiser's finger, the scene began to play out again from when the DORUmon jumped into the bush, directly towards one of the cameras. The glowing of his eyes flickered with a strange intensity that sparked with tiny golden squares of data - the same squares that formed on the other monitor that was aimed somewhere behind Witchmon's back. Within seconds, that glowing data transformed into Chimeramon, who lunged forward in a nearly fatal attack.

The Digimon Kaiser made sure to replay the moment again, this time in slow motion, before freezing on the frame that showed both the DORUmon's glowing eyes and the golden data. He swung his chair around to face FlaWizarmon and Witchmon, his mouth drawn into a thin line. "I trust you two can see what this means."

FlaWizarmon gaped at the scene in open confusion, his mouth struggling to form words that ultimately couldn't escape him. While he could certainly see what was happening on either screen, it didn't do him much good. He simply couldn't comprehend what he was seeing, he couldn't understand the connection between the little DORUmon and the sudden appearance of their most hated enemy.

...Until suddenly, he did.

FlaWizarmon's eyes widened as confusion was replaced with shock, which in turn was replaced with horrified comprehension, only to swiftly turn into fury - intense, smoldering _fury._ He lowered his hands to his sides as his fists clenched so tightly they began to shake.

A low, cat like-growl slid between Witchmon's bared razor sharp teeth. "Zeed." Her eyes narrowed to slits, her entire body quaking while her ghostly cat arched its back and let out a growl of its own. "That little bastard is _Zeed_!"

"We gotta get back there," FlaWizarmon snarled. "And find that little bastard, and-"

"You won't find him," Dracomon said with a shake of his head.

The Digimon Kaiser tapped the monitors and brought up a new one that focused on the DORUmon. When the video began to play, a red robed demonic Digimon that the duo immediately recognized as Demon teleported in front of the fugitive, who looked startled for a moment before he smirked victoriously. Without a word spoken, the pair disappeared, leaving no trace of Zeed or his minion behind.

"They left the area completely," the Digimon Kaiser said. "There was no point keeping you two there when they left no trace to follow." He folded his hands together in front of him. "All we can do now is cast a wide enough net and hope they get caught on the scanners before Zeed makes another attempt to recapture Ryo."

FlaWizarmon clenched his jaw. "You got it, Kaiser-kun. When we're through with him…"

Witchmon smiled wide, her razor sharp teeth making it look anything but friendly. "...He'll wish he had _stayed_ in the Dark Ocean."

* * *

One of the worst parts about being unable to sleep when one had scant few hours _to_ sleep was the weight of every second passing by without success. The missed minutes drifting by as the ever encroaching moment when the alarm would go off, it only served to make it all the more impossible to actually _sleep_ and not simply stare at the ceiling trying to will it to happen.

This was, unfortunately, the very situation Hikari found herself in.

The Chosen of Light sighed as she kept her eyes closed, as if somehow that would force her body - her _mind_ \- to shut down and allow her to sleep. Instead of counting sheep, she was counting down the hours she had left until she had to get up for school, hours she was wasting by not sleeping. It didn't help.

At her feet, Tailmon was completely stretched out, breathing heavily as she slept. It was the deepest Hikari had ever seen her partner sleep, as the cat Digimon typically slept so lightly that the slightest sound would have snapped her awake. Now, it was as though Tailmon was dead to the world, with only a twitch of her ear or a flick of her tail acting as any sign of life within her. It only served to emphasize her partner's exhaustion.

Hikari felt a twinge of guilt, something she had found herself feeling quite a bit that day. Tailmon had been forced to carry a heavy burden in her place. She knew that her partner would strongly argue with her, insisting it was no burden but rather a choice, but the Chosen of Light couldn't help it. Tailmon had endured something terrible for her sake, and Hikari was both grateful and painfully aware of that fact.

It was one of the many reasons why sleep was not being particularly forthcoming that night.

Hikari watched her partner sleep for a few minutes before she let out a soft sigh. She slowly slipped out of bed, moving carefully to try and avoid waking Tailmon. Then, once free, she put on a pink night robe to cover her white pajamas and slipped out of the room.

As Hikari closed the door behind her, the scent of cooking immediately made her pause. Eyebrows shooting up, the youngest Yamagi caught a very familiar scent - frying eggs. Furrowing her brow, she headed towards the scent, and quickly found the source.

Taichi stood in the kitchen, right in front of the stove as he cooked what appeared to be a sunny-side up egg, frying it carefully in a skillet. He looked rather bedraggled as he watched his food sizzle before he suddenly looked up, noticing movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to Hikari before offering her a lopsided smile.

"Hey," Taichi said. "You hungry?"

Hikari returned the smile with one of her own. The sight of her brother cooking breakfast brought back many nostalgic memories of when they were little and Taichi would look after her when their parents were out. They were memories she cherished. "Yes, thank you."

Taichi flashed his sister a thumbs up sign before he returned to cooking, reaching over to grab another egg so that he could fry it up next. As he worked, Hikari went to sit at the table, stifling a yawn. The Chosen of Courage was quick to serve his sister the egg he had been frying before quickly making a new one for himself.

"This really takes me back," Taichi said as he brought the two plates with the steaming hot eggs over to the table, setting them down gently.

"Yeah," Hikari murmured as she took a seat at the table. "It's been a while since you've made breakfast for just the two of us."

Taichi went to gather ingredients for toppings, pausing upon opening the fridge to cock his head towards his sister. "You still like cheese on your eggs, right?"

Hikari couldn't help but grin. "Of course."

Taichi gave a nod before he grabbed a bottle of soy sauce as well a small bag of shredded cheese, then headed back over to the table. Setting the cheese by Hikari, the Chosen of Courage sat down before taking a hold of his chopsticks. He used them to poke small holes in his egg, before grabbing the bottle of soy sauce and poured it on top. He placed the bottle down before using his chopsticks to flip the fried egg over, and then over again to make sure it was thoroughly smothered in the savory sauce. As he waited for the sauce to fully saturate his meal, the Chosen of Courage paused before he looked thoughtful. "Hey, didn't I make eggs that one time, too?"

"What one time?" Hikari asked as she looked up from sprinkling the shredded cheese on her egg.

"Way back when, when we first met a Digimon… when Koromon's egg popped out of Dad's computer," Taichi said with a wistful expression on his face. "I think I even made a crack about cooking his egg. Back before we knew what he was."

Hikari let out a breathy little laugh. "I think I remember that. I didn't think it was very funny at the time."

"No, you didn't," Taichi agreed with a chuckle before he started to use his chopsticks to cut up his fried egg into bite-sized pieces. "Man, that was _forever_ ago… back before we even knew we were Chosen Children or had ever gone to the Digital World. That was right before Koromon evolved to Greymon and got into that fight with Parrotmon." He paused for a moment, furrowing his brow. "I remember thinking how terrifying that whole business was, and how I was glad it was all over." He shook his head as his smile grew wry. "Man, I was _so_ clueless. I had _no_ idea what we were in for."

"Me neither," Hikari said after swallowing a bite of egg. "It's funny… I just knew I should've gone to camp with you that day - in August I mean. If I knew then that you were going to see Koromon again, I wouldn't have let anything keep me home."

"I'm pretty glad you _didn't_ ," Taichi said before he looked up at his sister, who rolled her eyes at him. "Don't get me wrong, it woulda made things a _whole_ lot easier, knowing you were also a Chosen Child at the time… but things were pretty, uh, _hectic_ at first. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing, and half the time, we survived by the skin of our teeth."

"Not like now, huh?" Hikari asked lightly while wearing a small crook of a smile.

Taichi chuckled. "I'll give you that… but at least we have _beds_ to sleep in now, and not just huddling on the ground, or in creepy abandoned railway cars by monster-filled lakes…" He paused before he grimaced. "Or creepy mansions owned by devil Digimon, which ended with us floating away on beds in our underwear, or… just completely crazy nonsense like that."

Hikari considered the thought, as well as other details from the adventure her brother and friends had told her over the years, before finally nodding to herself. "It would've been worth it."

Taichi face-faulted at that, which elicited a giggle from Hikari. "Why am I not surprised you'd say that?"

"Because you're my big brother and you know me so well?" Hikari guessed with faux innocence before she took a delicate bite of her eggs.

"Yeah, I do," Taichi agreed. He was about to continue, then stopped himself. Because he _did_ know her so well, he knew that the day's events were weighing heavily upon her. However, he hesitated to actually voice that thought, even if he meant to try and encourage her, as it would've ruined the moment. And he knew more than anyone that Hikari needed to _relax_ , not _dwell_. "But man, I can't help but think how we missed out on being able to stay at Crystal Tower. That place was _swanky_. A nice, safe place to sleep _and_ a huge dining hall with all the food I could want? That would've made things _so much_ easier."

Hikari nodded as she finished chewing her mouthful of egg and took the time to drink some juice before responding. "It really is a nice place. Although it's kinda creepy. It's so empty…" She trailed off, realizing she was skirting into dangerous territory, and tried to make up for it by speaking more animatedly. "B-but, it's probably really lively normally, since it has all those rooms. I'm sure Ken, Ryo, and Keiko have a lot of good memories from there."

"Y-yeah," Taichi said. He noticed the slip up but decided to avoid that rabbit hole. "I bet they expected all of us to stay together… and it's Piemon's fault that didn't happen. Everything went to hell when he got involved."

Hikari nodded, her enthusiasm waning as she couldn't help but think of what happened to Tailmon as a result of Piemon taking eight of the eggs. Because of that evil Digimon, Tailmon spent so many years suffering. "It would've been nice if we all could've gone to the Digital World together before he came along…"

Taichi reached over to ruffle his sister's hair, realizing he had stepped in yet another hole that he had meant to avoid and moving quickly to distract her. "Well… y'know, now that we know about it, what's stopping us from using it as a base _now_? It was set up _for_ us, so why can't we just… use it when we need to?"

Hikari blinked, both at the affectionate touch and the suggestion. For a moment, she hesitated, instinctively feeling as though she had to object for politeness' sake, but the more she thought about it, the more it rang true. "You're right. Cassandramon even made sure we noticed our bedrooms had nameplates for each of us with our crests on them when she took us to Ken's room. She even told us that the Digimon kept making new ones every time we altered what our crests looked like before we ever found out about them."

"Exactly," Taichi agreed. "We should spend some actual time looking around, and seeing where everything is. We have time to kill waiting for Ryo and his parents to, uh… deal with things." He then gave a sharp nod. "Hell, that's probably the first place he'd go to, all things considered."

Hikari nodded and tried hard not to think about what Ryo was going through at that moment. "It would probably be the safest place in the Digital World for us to go to."

"Right, right," Taichi said before pausing as an earlier part of the conversation caught up with him. "Wait, go back to that part about the crests again?"

Hikari started at the question, and quickly finished her bite of egg so she could answer. "Oh, I forgot to mention it. So much was going on… Cassandramon told us that we decide what our crests look like and what trait they are because they're what we believe _we_ are." She paused for a moment. "Well, you and everyone else besides me, Keiko, and Ryo. The Guard Crests used to be just copies of Light, Darkness, or Miracles in the beginning, but they changed over time as everyone grew up and learned more about themselves."

Taichi blinked slowly before he frowned suspiciously. "For someone that's supposed to be very dodgy with her answers, she was pretty… helpful, wasn't she?"

Hikari let out a thoughtful hum and took a moment to mull it over to sip her juice. "Yeah, she was. She even said that your crests might change again as you learn more about yourselves, but in most futures she sees, they won't since you know what they're called and what they look like right now and that sticks with you." She paused before cocking her head. "From what FlaWizarmon and Witchmon were saying, I wouldn't have expected her to tell us even a little bit about what our future might be like that, but she told us before we even thought to ask any questions."

Taichi's brow creased in confusion. "What gives? Does she just not _like_ them, or something? Or do they just not like her and are just making things up?" It seemed very unlikely, given the _genuine_ hatred they had expressed towards her and how even Keiko didn't appear to doubt their claims about Cassandramon, but it was still nagging at him.

It was then that Taichi realized they had gone down yet _another_ rabbit hole that he hadn't intended to. He gave a swift shake of his head before he looked at Hikari. "A-anyway… man, that must've been crazy for the Digimon, huh? Having the very basic elements of their world just suddenly changing like that… all based on the moods of some random kid. I guess it's a good thing the Digimon are _used_ to that kinda craziness."

Hikari nodded as she smiled softly. Her brother's attempts to keep the conversation light were pretty obvious, but she appreciated the sentiment nevertheless. It served as a reminder of just how much her brother cared for her and wanted to protect her. Even now, when he was struggling with his own issues, he still wanted to make sure that she was taken care of. She really couldn't have asked for a better big brother.

Taichi felt relieved at how relaxed Hikari seemed to be, taking it as a sign that his efforts had paid off. She was obviously troubled by what had happened, and he could definitely sympathize. If he was able to ease even a little of her burden, then he had succeeded as her big brother. Besides, talking to her was easing his own stress, causing the cloud that had fogged his brain to finally clear - even if it meant he'd be exhausted for school the next day. But ultimately, he didn't mind.

He would stay up with her as long as he needed to.

* * *

Wallace slouched in his chair, his crossed arms and resting on his desk as he used them for a pillow. While he had hoped he would've been able to catch a few extra minutes of sleep before homeroom started, it was more of a vain hope than a practical one. The classroom was far too noisy as other students socialized before they were chained to their desks for the next several hours. He certainly didn't blame them, as he would have been among them if he hadn't been so tired.

Being a Chosen Child was apparently a lot more difficult than he originally thought.

"[Good morning, Wallace~!]" Mimi said as she took her seat beside Wallace. She focused less on his hagrid expression and more on delicately setting her large flowery bag on her desk, so that she would not jostle Palmon hiding inside it.

It took Wallace a few seconds to notice that the cheer in her voice and the smile on her face were as fake as that awful actress acting opposite his father on his last film. Interest piqued despite his fatigue, he straightened up a bit in his seat. "[How did it go last night?]" he asked lowly to avoid being overheard by their classmates. "[Are you okay?]"

Mimi's smile faltered. She tried to hold onto her chipper mask, but a sigh escaped her all the same. "[Last night was awful. You're so lucky you didn't go.]"

Wallace frowned. While he had been prepared to complain about the massive lecture his father had in store for him, something in Mimi's demeanor told him that it was minor compared to whatever she and the others had experienced. "[I'm sorry. I should've been there to help.]" He paused before offering her a weak smile. "[I've done a pretty lousy job of being a Chosen Child so far.]"

Mimi blinked, startled, before shaking her head. "[Oh, no, Wallace, not at all! You're doing better than any of us did when we started out, you know.]" She patted her bag as she let out another sigh, feeling the comforting shape of her partner through the soft cloth. "[There's no way me or any of our friends could've faced the Dark Ocean when we first went to the Digital World.]" Unbidden, her imagination conjured up images a couple of 'what if' scenarios that left her shuddering.

Wallace furrowed his brow before he looked down at his arms. "[I still can't really wrap my head around what this 'Dark Ocean' is, but it sounds like I should be grateful I didn't go.]"

"It's a nightmare," Mimi moaned, accidentally slipping into Japanese as she buried her head into her bag, snuggling up as close to Palmon as best she could while in public. The sensation of her partner trying to hug her head through the fabric made her feel at least a little better.

Wallace glanced over to Mimi, his expression sympathetic. "[Do you - do _we_ \- have to go back?]"

Mimi managed to recover some of her lost energy and straightened up a bit. "[Nope! Ryo was taken back home safe and sound, so hopefully we never, ever, _ever_ have to go back to that awful, awful place again!]"

Wallace smiled at that. "[Good! Then we can forget about that place and focus on more important things - like helping Ken.]"

Mimi nodded, relaxing a bit before she gently slid her bag underneath her desk against her legs. "Oh, that's right," she gasped upon straightening back up. "[How did it go last night with your dad?]" Her brow creased with worry. "[Was he mad? I could ask Mama and Papa to talk to him and help him understand everything about the Chosen stuff if you want.]"

Wallace flinched slightly before he turned to offer Mimi an awkward smile. "[It's fine, don't worry about it. It was just a pure fluke that my dad decided to check in on me after work. It was just bad luck on my part. It happens so rarely that I really don't think it'll be an issue.]" He paused before turning ahead to the chalkboard, his expression hardening at the edges. "[I doubt he even remembers it happened.]"

"Wallace…," Mimi murmured as she reached out to place her hand on Wallace's arm.

At that moment, a man in slacks and a white button-up shirt entered the room. He glanced at the children, who all quickly hurried to their seats at the sight of him, before he came to a stop in front of the chalkboard. "[Alright, everyone. Let's do role call so we can move on to announcements.]"

Wallace was thankful for the interruption. He gave Mimi a small smile before he straightened up, focusing his attention on their homeroom teacher. While he was still tired, he told himself that he at least had something to look forward to _after_ class - being a Chosen Child. He may have gotten off to a rocky start, but there was still time to fix things, opportunities to shine and prove himself to Mimi and his new friends.

That was at least something that was entirely his own, something his father had _nothing_ to do with and _couldn't_ take away from him.

* * *

There were many benefits to having connections to the Ryuzaki family. It was something that Ryo had access to due to his friendship with Keiko, and he was able to enjoy their assistance because of it. One of many said benefits was access to a doctor that was used to not asking too many questions.

Even when they really, _really_ wanted to.

"Well, Mr. Akiyama, everything _looks_ normal," the doctor said, looking over the chart in his hand as he stood in the examination room. Ryo sat on the examination table in the center of the room, stripped down to his boxers with only a medical robe to guard his modesty. "Blood pressure, your heart rate, blood work… no abnormal readings whatsoever. You appear to be a perfectly healthy twelve year old boy."

"Except that he's supposed to be _fourteen_ ," Ryuchi said as he sat in the guest chair, in the far corner. " _Fifteen_ in two months."

"Yes," the doctor agreed, slowly. "Except for that."

Ryo couldn't help but fidget uncomfortably on the table as the doctor looked him over. He felt antsy just sitting there, doing nothing productive while his friends were missing. The fact that nothing the doctor said so far seemed to help put his father at ease didn't do anything to improve the situation.

"You've looked at his previous records?" Ryuichi asked. "And there's no difference whatsoever?"

"Yes, Mr. Akiyama," the doctor said. "There is no variation between his current results and the results from his last exam - except for _one_ thing."

Ryuichi looked up sharply at that. "One thing?"

The doctor turned to face Ryo, pulling out a small handheld light from out of his pocket. He clicked it on before focusing it on the Chosen of Miracles - in particular, his neck. "Your son has a scar running around his neck, in a complete circle."

"A scar!?" Ryuichi repeated as he immediately stood up.

Ryo's hand flew to his throat, rubbing it. He didn't have any scars; he was absolutely certain of it. The very thought of one like the doctor suggested sent icy needles scraping along his back with a painful sense of dread.

Seeing the disbelief on Ryo's face, the doctor clicked his light off before putting it back in his pocket, and instead picked up a small mirror from a nearby counter. He moved in close and held the mirror in Ryo's view, tilting it down so that the boy could see his neck - and the white scar neatly drawn across his throat.

"It's old, by a couple years at least," the doctor said. "It's fully healed, leaving behind nothing but scar tissue."

"That's not…" Ryo shook his head, trying to pry his eyes away from the sight of the scar in the mirror, but he couldn't stop staring at it. "That's not… real…"

"Where did… what in the…" Ryuichi struggled to find the words as he approached his son, his eyes similarly focused on the scar.

"It's very uniform and neat," the doctor continued, moving the mirror around slowly to give Ryo a good view of how far the scar went. "Almost _surgical_ , if you will." The doctor then drew the mirror back and placed it back on the counter. "If you like, I can run a few more tests."

"Do it!" Ryuichi said as he turned to the doctor. "I want to know why my son has a scar around his neck!"

"Well, I certainly won't be able to tell you _why_ ," the doctor said as he adjusted his gloves, then leaned in closer to Ryo as he moved to gently touch the scar. "But I _will_ be able to tell you how deep the scar tissue goes and if-"

 _The smell of burnt flesh and fire assaulted Ryo's senses. His eyes grew wide as a charred wasteland surrounded him, filled with the screams of the dying. In the distance, he could see the ever towering form of Zeed Millenniumon, the twin-headed dragon beast vivid against the bleak landscape._

 _Ryo opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, to shout out a warning, but no words came. Instead, he felt as if he were choking, unable to breathe. No matter how much he gasped or attempted to gulp down air, nothing came. His head was beginning to swim as the world faded away into blackness, followed by all-consuming gold._

The sound of shouting, along with his name being called desperately, brought Ryo's consciousness back from the hellish battlefield. It was only then that the Chosen of Miracles realized he was on the floor, huddled in the corner of the room with both of his hands grasping his neck protectively.

His father was hovering close, with his mother having rushed into the room at some point to join him. Both of his parents were being held back by two faces he remembered quite well - Jin and Mina Ryuzaki, Keiko's brother and his wife. As the black haired, red-eyed man in a suit held Ryuichi back, the long chestnut haired woman with almond eyes was attempting to calm the hysterical Heather.

"Give him space," Mina said, her voice soothing. She wore a slick red dress suit decorated in a gold embroidered dragon and an air of absolute calm, which came in to a sharp contrast to Heather's own panicked demeanor. "Let him breathe."

"O-oh g-g-g-goodness, o-oh n-n-no!" Monodramon squawked as he wobbled about in circles with indecision and anxiety. "L-l-lord Ryo!"

"He's having a _fit_!" Ryuichi protested as he shoved against the younger and yet much stronger man. "Can't you see that!?"

"You're only going to make it worse," Jin retorted as he held firm against the Akiyama patriarch's fury. "It'll be over soon, so stay right where you are."

"Mom? Dad?" Ryo asked, absently as he found his voice hoarse to his own ears. For some reason his throat hurt, not from any injury, he was quick to notice, but inside as if he had been coughing or screaming too much. He slowly sat up, disoriented. "What happened?"

Jin glanced back at Ryo before he finally released the boy's father, and Ryuichi rushed past just as quickly as Heather moved by Mina to reach her son. "Don't touch his neck."

Ryuichi immediately jerked his hands back at Jin's warning, in the process of reaching for his son's hands instinctively after dropping to his knees. He lingered for a moment, arms outstretched, before he forced himself to lower his hands. "You… had a moment."

"Honey, are you alright?" Heather asked, struggling to contain her tears as she knelt by her husband in front of their son. "Does it hurt?"

"I… I'm fine," Ryo muttered, though he couldn't take his hands away from his neck. "What do you mean by 'moment'?"

"You started yelling," Jin said as he approached the family huddled on the floor. "And grasping at your neck, trying to protect it." He turned to look at the doctor. "Unless you think it's life-threatening, I'd say leave the scar alone."

"As I said, it's several years old," the doctor said with a shake of his head, unshaken by the sudden panic attack. "He's clearly not in pain or suffering, beyond what I can only imagine is trauma. If he hasn't experienced any complications by now, he's not going to."

Ryo stroked his neck and found the scar with his fingertips, the barest hint of skin that was just a little too smooth, just a little too tight. Tiny tremors rippled through him until he lost the sense of the scar due to the shaking of his hand. His nose still held the sickening phantom stench of burnt flesh - not meat, _flesh_ ; how he knew the difference was something he didn't want to know.

Though Ryo couldn't take his hands away from his throat, he didn't seek out the scar again.

* * *

The Village of Beginnings looked no more welcoming than it had during the previous visits, just as dilapidated and decaying as had since the start of the Digimon Kaiser's war. However, the children and Digimon who came there brought with them a new atmosphere to it, one filled with hope, as the Chosen Children knew exactly what they needed to do to revive this once cheerful place.

All the Chosen Children stood inside the small room hidden under the fountain, devoid of code, watching Koshiro as he set up his laptop on the floor before sitting down with it, the precious floppy disc in hand. There was nothing for any of the other Chosen to do but watch and wait with baited breath as they watched Koshiro put the disk into his computer, but none of them minded; they all wanted to be here for the rebirth of the Village of Beginnings.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Takeru asked as he glanced at Iori, who looked up at the blank walls to stare at the small line of code that Ken had written.

"As I mentioned before, I am not opposed to repairing the Village of Beginnings," Iori said before he lowered his gaze to meet Takeru's. "I simply wanted everyone to be aware of what consequences we may face as a result of those actions. If everyone feels that repairing the Village of Beginnings as we stand is worth the risk, then so be it. We just need to make certain we are ready for whatever outcome may be."

"Yeah, you have a point," Takeru said as he crossed his arms, looking up at the wall. "And after everything that's happened, we _need_ to be prepared. In this case… we really don't have a choice except to fix the village and deal with the situation as it comes."

"We can't _not_ fix the Village of Beginnings," Mimi said as she shook her head and placed her hands on her hips. "All those baby Digimon have a right to be reborn. Besides… Zhuqiaomon helped us rescue Ryo. If he's willing to help us, then maybe he's forgiven Ken?"

"Yyyyyeah," Kudamon drawled as she idly floated by. "I'm willing to bet those two are _mutually exclusive_. _Especially_ if he thinks he can use Ryo as leverage _against_ Ken."

Koshiro flexed his fingers over the keys, then paused to look around at his friends. "Everybody ready?"

Taichi flashed a thumbs up and winked. "Go for it, Koshiro!"

Koshiro gave a sharp nod before his fingers quickly descended to the keyboard of his laptop, getting to work. Within moments, the empty walls surrounding the Chosen suddenly came to life, as lines of glowing runes - the Digimon alphabet - spread across them like wildfire. As soon as the last inch of wall was covered, a loud rumble reminiscent of thunder echoed outside.

The Chosen Children glanced at each other before they rushed to the entrance of the hidden room, out into the world proper.

The assembled children and their Digimon were immediately greeted by the sight of vibrant colors in all directions, the Village of Beginnings completely restored under a bright blue sky. The ruins were completely gone, as was the rubble that had littered the place, leaving behind pristine structures that the children remembered from years ago. It was as if the Digimon Kaiser's attack had been completely undone, all the scars erased.

Mimi clasped her hands together, before she quickly glanced up at the sky. It was there that something else caught her attention, bringing tears to her eyes. "The Digimon Eggs!"

"Huh?" Wallace blinked at Mimi before he too glanced up. "Eggs…?" He gave a start as his eyes settled on what his friend had clearly seen - thousands of multi-colored eggs falling straight from the sky. "[I-it's raining eggs!?]"

"[Digimon eggs!]" Noir chirped. "[It's an eggicane!]"

"The Digimon are being reborn again!" Takeru said as he hurried past the others, heading towards the fields the eggs seemed to be gravitating for.

"Just like when we defeated the Dark Masters," Yamato said as he followed after his brother, alternating his view from the sky to his path ahead of him.

"Do you think Elecmon is among them?" Patamon asked as he flew above his partner.

"Let's find out!" Takeru said, a wide smile stretching across his face.

Iori watched as the others raced after Takeru, before he glanced up to the sky. The sight before him really shouldn't have surprised him; the Digital World always challenged his expectations to the point that he should honestly expect _anything_ by this point. All he could do was accept what he was seeing it and acknowledge it as normal. That said, he still couldn't help but stare as the colorful eggs appeared out of nothingness, data passing through what appeared to be a thin royal purple light that shimmered like an aurora borealis against the sky before solidifying into eggs that drifted downward gently as if falling along a stream. "So this is where all the Digimon are born?"

"Yes," Koshiro said as he came to stand beside Iori, looking upwards as well. "If I understand it correctly, when a Digimon dies, their data goes to the Dark World. There, it's defragged - purified, basically - before being sent to the Village of Beginnings. Here, it's reassembled into an egg and the Digimon starts life all over again."

"And it's Tenraimon's power that makes the Village of Beginnings function," Miyako said as she adjusted her glasses to better watch the eggs rain down. "So they're two sides of the same coin, continuing life on the Digital World."

"I suppose that's why the Digital World is able to still function, even without Huanglongmon," Iori mused. "So long as Narakumon and Tenraimon are still alive, life goes on."

"It kinda begs the question of why the Digital World even needed him in the first place," Kudamon asked. "Not only is he trapped as a rotting zombie, but to know that you're not nearly as important as you thought you were… sucks to be him!"

"I'm sure he must still have some importance, somehow," Tentomon said. "We simply don't know it yet."

Unbeknownst to the Chosen Children, the entire scene was being watched from afar. Their words came through loud and clear, images displayed across the several floating monitors. Every movement was broadcast to its audience, the Digimon Kaiser in his throne as Dracomon sat obediently nearby.

FlaWizarmon chuckled as he crossed his arms, leaning against the Digimon Kaiser's chair casually. "They're pretty lucky old Murder Bird isn't around to hear 'em diss his lord and master like that. Whatever his supposed plans are, they all woulda gone up in smoke - _along with them_ , if he had anything to say 'bout it."

The Digimon Kaiser glanced at FlaWizarmon out of the corner of his eye. "You say that as if he isn't planning on killing them anyway."

"Touché," FlaWizarmon replied as he pointed towards the caped tyrant, with a sly smirk.

"Whatever his plans may be, they will not succeed," Dracomon said with a snort. "He will die and join the others in their hell."

"I'm just glad that the Chosen Children haven't noticed the filter you installed, Kaiser-kun," Witchmon said as she hovered on her broom behind the young human's throne. "Or at the very least, they don't seem to realize what it _is_." She sighed as she rested her chin against her palm. "It was bad enough that they decided to fix the Village of Beginnings, but it really was going to be a total _disaster_ if those two had been allowed to be reborn, too."

The Digimon Kaiser leaned against the armrest of his throne as he pressed his fingers against his temple. "Those _children_ are still caught up in playing their roles. They're 'heroes destined to save the world' so they need to 'save' everyone. Even if that includes people that should _never_ be saved. They're foolishly stumbling about blind without realizing just how many are planning to kill us all… or worse."

"Well, they certainly gave us enough of a head's up to know what they were up to, an' plenty of time to prepare," FlaWizarmon said as he crossed his arms. A moment later, his expression darkened. "I just can't figure out that bitch's game. If I didn't know better, I would have thought she was trying to help Zhuqiaomon rescue the other Holy Beasts… but she would've also _known_ that it wouldn't work out."

"I can't stand it!" Witchmon hissed, with her spectral cat making a similar sound as it arched its back. "I feel like she's still using us… like we're still doing exactly what she wants!"

"Stop," the Digimon Kaiser said, his voice firm yet low. The two Digimon turned to stare at him as he sat up straight in his throne once more, though he kept his gaze fixed on the monitors before him. "She is no more in control over your actions than you are of hers. She may manipulate the stage and change the props, but _you_ are the actors. It is still ultimately your actions that matters. So long as you follow your own will, your own desires... she is irrelevant."

Witchmon let out a catlike rumble of displeasure at the back of her throat. "I know you're right, Kaiser-kun, but you've never spent years getting led around by the nose by her."

The Digimon Kaiser restlessly rapped his fingers against the armrest. "She's not a god. Even if she was, not even the gods are omnipotent in this world. She's just a clever manipulator that has a way to gather more information than even we do." He made a sweeping gesture at the monitors. "She can't make us think or do anything we don't want to do anymore than we can make those children stop trying to be heroes."

FlaWizarmon was quiet before he reached up to pull down the brim of his hat. "I reckon that's true. After all… for all her fancy sight, she couldn't see a way to save Huanglongmon."

At that moment, the lights flickered, the images winking in and out of existence for a second before everything went completely dark. The stifling darkness lasted for only a moment before a burst of flame came from FlaWizarmon's matchsticks, which he held up by his sides to bring some illumination back to the room.

"The hell's going on?!" FlaWizarmon demanded as he glanced around, as if the answer could be found in the room.

The Digimon Kaiser narrowed his eyes as he immediately got to work pulling small devices out of his cloak. "Something has happened to the power generators."

"I will go look," Dracomon said as he got to his feet, only to pause when Witchmon's large hand suddenly moved to point a finger at him.

" _We_ will go look, darling," Witchmon said. " _You_ should stay here and protect Kaiser-kun."

"Just in case it's not _something_ but rather _someone_ ," FlaWizarmon agreed, giving both the dragon Digimon and his partner a grim smirk that was barely visible thanks to his flames.

Dracomon paused at that before his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

The Digimon Kaiser paused in his work, his finger hovering over a button for a moment before he pressed it. Dim red lights flickered to life along the walls as he brought back the emergency power. "Be careful."

"You don't need to tell us, hon," Witchmon said wryly with an unpleasant twist to her mouth.

Deep within the Digimon Kaiser's fortress, Digimon scurried about in a panic as they attempted to discover why the heavily secured power generators had fallen apart for no observable reason. As the parts seemingly collapsed in a heap, little more than shredded tissue paper that the Gazimon and Gizamon struggled to put back together, no one noticed a third party watching their vain efforts.

Neemon stood off to the side, a dopey smile on his equally dopey face as he quietly counted under his breath. He enjoyed the panic - the chaos - as the scene unfolded before him, as no one seemed to notice he was even there - _despite_ the way he stood among them in plain sight. After several moments, he finally turned to trot past the other Digimon into the hallway proper, though he couldn't help the whimsical impulse to stick a leg out to drop a Goblimon as he rushed past, sending him tumbling in to his coworkers.

The noodley Digimon glanced over his shoulder as Goblimon anxiously apologized for his perceived clumsiness, blaming the darkness, before Neemon turned his gaze down the hallway. A twisted smile slithered across his face as his eyes opened to reveal gleeful pin-pricks as he finished his counting.

"...Ninety-Nine, One Hundred! Ready or not, here I come, Ken-chan~!"

* * *

Ryo was more than thankful that the rest of the doctor's visit went smoothly. Outside of the revelation about his neck and his age, there were no more surprises. Of course, the surprises he had _already_ received where by no means minor. The scar was troubling, but his lack of aging even more so.

The fact that he hadn't aged a day, despite nearly three whole years passing in the human world was troubling to say the very least. Logically, he should have aged like everyone else. While the Digital World's time distortions might have messed with the flow of time, he knew from experience that it didn't affect human aging at all. Keiko herself had spent many years in the Digital World, yet only aged by the human world's count. So why hadn't he aged when _three years_ had passed?

Ultimately, the question was just one more trouble on a mountain of troubles already weighing heavily on his mind. For now, he needed to focus on the most pressing issue of all.

Ryo opened the door to Mina's office, barely giving the neat and professional-looking decor a glance. He passed by the sofas and bookshelves as he headed to the end of the room, towards the desk where his intended target sat - Mina Ryuzaki, with Jin himself sitting on the desk itself rather nonchalantly with his arms closed.

"Doing better?" Jin asked as he gave Ryo a grin. "Managed to give your parents the slip?"

"They're talking to the doctor," Ryo said as he came to a stop in front of the desk. "Monodramon is keeping an eye on them."

"They're not going to find the answers they want from the doctor, no matter how many times they ask," Jin said with a shrug. "That's the Digital World for you."

"Is it… really okay?" Ryo asked, hesitantly. He didn't quite know how to form the question he was asking, as the words failed him.

It seemed he got his point across anyway, as Mina gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's fine," Mina said. "He's used to being silent about far stranger things than Digimon, I can assure you."

Jin smirked. "Though I'm not sure how reassuring you'll find that."

Ryo knew better than to consider such implications said by members of a yakuza family, especially with the smell of burnt flesh still haunting him. "Is it true that is Ken missing?" he asked instead. "I tried sending him an email, but I didn't get a reply."

Jin paused at that before he glanced at Mina, who returned the look. He then stood up, getting off the desk, and turned to face Ryo. "Yes, it's true. Ken's been missing for several weeks now."

Though Ryo was dreading the answer, it was still a blow. "Then he's got to be somewhere in the Digital World…"

Jin nodded. "That's our thought too. He had only recently begun venturing back into the Digital World after…" He paused a moment, a grimace marring his face. "…After what happened. He even had Kigaru mass-produce some new D-Terminals for him and a large group of other Chosen. And then… suddenly, he's gone."

"Oh!" Ryo gasped, eyes lighting up with hope. "The rest of the Chosen Children! Of course! I can ask them where Ken went!"

Jin was silent for a moment before he nodded slowly. "They certainly were the last ones to see him." His expression darkened. "So if anyone knows what happened to Ken, it would be them."

"Do you know where they live?" Ryo asked with growing energy.

"Yes," Jin said as he reached over to the desk to pull up a folder, lifting it to wave it at Ryo before extending it towards him. "I've got home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and school and classroom." He then narrowed his eyes. "Though you might want to be… cautious with them."

"Huh?" Ryo stared at Jin, even as he accepted the folder.

"It seems that things had gone _south_ between Ken and the other Chosen," Jin said, a slight edge in his voice. "V _ery_ south."

Ryo stared at Jin, completely thunderstruck by the very idea. "What?"

"Kigaru won't give me the full details," Jin said as he placed his hand down on the desk. "But it sounds like there was a lot of _animosity_ directed at Ken and it may be related to why he has disappeared." He glanced towards his wife, who reached over to touch his hand in a silent show of support. "Kigaru keeps saying it was just a misunderstanding… but it doesn't change the fact that Ken is gone and they're going about their daily lives as if nothing happened. At the very least, they don't look like they're trying very hard to find him."

"W-well…," Ryo faltered before he straightened up. He simply couldn't accept the idea that the other Chosen weren't looking for Ken, if he had truly made friends with them enough to make D-Terminals for them. "If he's in the Digital World, then you wouldn't really know _what_ they're doing."

"Which _is_ possible," Jin said, his voice low. "And the _only_ reason I haven't gone to confront them _myself_."

Ryo tried not to shiver at the dark promise carried in Jin's dangerous voice. "R-right… I'll talk to them and see what I can find out from them."

"If you need any help, just ask." Jin said.

Mina nodded her agreement. "We'll help you in any way we can. We might not be Chosen Children, but there are still things a Ryuzaki can do that a Chosen can't."

"Right," Ryo said, his mind already wandering off to figure out how to approach the other Chosen Children. He needed to find Ken and soon. If there _were_ issues between them, he'd have to help Ken resolve them, but his first priority was and always would be making sure that Ken was safe.

Everything else, even his own issues, came second to that.

* * *

There was something _addicting_ about watching all the stupid Digimon scurry around in a panic, trying to find an enemy that they couldn't see or even truly know existed. It was a sight that Neemon never got tired of. Regretfully, he couldn't savor the moment, to draw out the fear and confusion to its inevitable climax in an explosion of data and screams. No, there would be time to play with these faceless drones later. Right now, he had an objective, one that drew him ever deeper into the bowels of the fortress towards his target.

Such were the trials and tribulations of a professional.

When the red emergency lights came on, Neemon was only mildly disappointed. Watching the Digimon stumble about in the dark blindly had made his trip more enjoyable, but that had never been his objective. The blackout was a distraction, something to cripple the ridiculous - albeit futile - level of security the Digimon Kaiser had set up. Keeping the fortress in complete darkness had merely been a bonus. On the bright side, the emergency lights made the trip a lot easier - the Crest of Kindness was a _terrible_ flashlight.

The Crest of Kindness glowed a gentle pink, barely illuminating more than a small halo surrounding it where it rested on his chest. It did very little to pierce the darkness, but it guided his way regardless. Every time Neemon strayed to the wrong path, the light would dim, brightening again only when he corrected himself. It was like the ultimate game of hot and cold, as the light grew more luminous the closer he got to his target.

It was just so _convenient_ how Ken's crest was leading his own executioner straight to him.

Guided by his kind little light, Neemon ventured further and further into the depths of the Digimon Kaiser's stronghold. There was so much to see, so much to explore - it was a shame Neemon didn't have time for any of it. He was on the hunt, which sadly didn't leave him time to afford cursitory exploration. It was something he would just have to come back to, once he finished having fun with Ken and completed the third and final piece of his masterpiece. That very experience was the true prize; nothing else mattered.

For that reason, the psychotic Digimon couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement and anticipation when the crest's light flared up just outside a highly secured hidden door in the deep recesses of the fortress. The amount of locks securing the door were staggering, which only confirmed his suspicions.

Of course, the locks proved to be completely pointless when the door itself ceased to exist, a fact that quickly became apparent when the heavy metal collapsed into shredded chunks on the floor. Neemon lowered his arms as he smirked down at the wreckage before focusing his attention on what such security measures had tried to hard to protect - his _prize._

Words could not describe the disappointment Neemon felt at the sight of a tainted little egg floating in an experimental tube with only computer systems around it. Ken was not here.

Neemon's eyes opened just a moment so that his expression could deadpan, seconds before they closed again and a smile curved his face. He slid over to the glass container and lightly tapped the surface, the muffled clink of reinforced glass echoing in the otherwise silent room. "Hiii friiiieeennnd~! Long time no see~!"

The assassin spent a moment watching as the pink ribbons of light slid through the blackness to give him glimpses of the tainted egg as he lightly rapped a meaningless tune with his fingers. "It's funny. Last time we saw each other, I was the one who was locked up and couldn't do anything." He stretched his arm upward, longer than it should have been, so that he could run a finger along the seam where metal met the glass near the top of the tube. "What a nice little prison cell your partner made for you."

Neemon let out a giggle as he tapped the side of the tube again, watching as the little pink swirls increased in both number and intensity. He could just imagine the look the puddle of gray tainted slime in that egg must have worn at that moment, and it was delightful. "Oh, don't _worry_." He leaned in closer, flattening his face up against the glass, as though the closeness would allow him to stare right into Wormmon's eyes - _through_ the egg shell. "I'll make sure Ken-chan won't be lonely without you."

It was then that Neemon finally opened his eyes wide, pressing them up against the glass as his lips curled upwards and split open to reveal rows of crooked teeth sharpened to the sharpness of a surgeon's scalpel. "We're going to have lots and lots and loooooottttttssssss of fun together." Slowly, he slid his arm around the tube until he pressed his palm flat above his head. "For a long." His twisted fingers continued to stretch out as he bent them in the wrong directions, the tips tapering into too fine points. "Long." His hand came to a stop at the very center of the tube, directly above where the egg was floating, suspended in the liquid. " _Long_." It was then that he dug his nails into the glass, shearing off the topmost layer in thin grooves and eliciting a terrible shriek that nearly drowned out his final word. "Time."

Pink swelled within the tube, though it did little more than give Neemon a show as it swam about helplessly within the black liquid. The only thing it managed to do was tell him that the message had been received, which left him cackling as he finally stepped back and returned to his innocent proportions.

"Sorry, but I'm going to leave you waiting for quiiiiiiite a while in there~!" Neemon practically sang as closed his eyes, swaying from side to side so that it caused his arms to swing back and forth like limp socks. He then paused to open his eyes again, his mirth still apparent on his twisted face. "But that's okay. Eventually, when I'm finished with my fun, you'll go wherever it is Ken-chan, Keiko-chan, Nyamon-chan, and Ryo-chan ended up. Then all of you can be together again - _forever_."

The pink light exploded around the egg, pulsating violently within its tube. Neemon barked out a laugh as the Crest of Kindness flashed angrily against his chest - but nothing else - before he turned on his heels and headed back the way he came.

"Bye, bye, Eggy-chan~!" Neemon sang. "I'll say hi to Ken-chan for you~!" With that he slipped back out of the room into the hallway, leaving the egg to flash and flare impotently in its enclosure with only his fading laughter for company.

The egg continued its flickering and flashing, though no one was around to see it. It was then, as it was left alone in the darkness, that a small voice cried out without a voice - desperate to be heard.

 _Ken-chan…!_


	11. Chapter 11

"Come and geeeeet it~!" Mimi's voice sang out as she waved her spatula about, standing in front of the large open grill, heat rising upwards as the fire smoldered among the charcoal. She wore a pink apron with floral print over her orange thigh-high dress, and her pink cowboy hat was never far from her head. A bright smile lit up the middle-aged woman's face as she continued to wave the metal prongs about, attempting to catch the attention of everyone within the park, with great success.

"Done here too!" Daisuke called out from his ramen cart, which had been set up near the grills. He looked rather smart in his dusty blue blazer over a light blue shirt and red khaki pants and still as youthful as he was thirty years ago.

"American barbeque and ramen," Takeru said with a chuckle, glancing towards Hikari as he sat at a picnic table. A distinguished middle-aged man dressed in his green, button up v-neck sweater overtop a pale yellow turtleneck and khaki pants looked out of place in a park setting. "Now _there's_ an interesting combination."

Hikari giggled, lifting her hand to cover her mouth as she sat beside Takeru, the laugh lines crinkling the edges of her eyes. Despite being in her forties, she looked rather pretty in her pink Chinese frock and cream-colored pants. "Well, that's Daisuke for you. He wasn't about to get beat out by Mimi."

"Of course not," Ken agreed, smiling. Much like the others, he was middle-aged, and yet, somehow, he managed to find an adult-sized outfit that was a virtually perfect replica of the dull gray school uniform he wore back in elementary. "Ramen _is_ his passion."

"I'm not complaining," Takeru said, shaking his head. "A rivalry between two cooks just means more good food for _us_ to eat."

"It's the _perfect_ way to spend our Odaiba Memorial," Hikari agreed, before she turned her head to watch the crowd of children abandon their play to rush over to the food. "And I'm glad we can share it with everyone… and make it a tradition that will continue on, with our children and our children's children."

"That's right," Takeru nodded, sagely. "Odaiba Memorial is about remembering, not just passing on memories to remember but also creating new ones as well."

Ken made a thoughtful humming sound in the back of his throat, glancing over to watch Miyako change the baby's diaper on a picnic blanket sprawled out across the grass, looking very much a housewife in her plain orange dress with light yellow sleeves and the pink handkerchief covering half her hair. After a moment of observing such a peaceful moment, he returned his attention to Takeru, grinning. "That's pretty poetic. To be expected of an author."

The squealing of children distracted Daisuke from taking a sip of his beer. As he glanced over at the kids kicking a ball around with their Digimon, he slid closer to Ken on the bench to nudge the other man in the side playfully with an elbow. "Hey, partner, remember that soccer game? The one where I hurt your leg and figured out you were the Digimon Kaiser?"

Ken gave a small start and turned to stare at Daisuke, startled. His eyes glanced over to the ramen cart, where he could have sworn the goggle boy had been manning only moments before, before he dismissed it and offered his jogress partner a smile. "Ah, yes! I remember." His smile quickly grew mischievous. "I remember how I completely _trounced_ you, too."

"I remember that!" Takeru chimed in. "He cut your leg with his cleats, didn't he? And the blood soaked through your pants."

"Yes, he…," Ken began to agree before he stopped. That was what happened, he should have been sure about that, but something felt off about it, causing his brow to furrow. "He… did?"

"Yeah, that's how I figured out you were the Digimon Kaiser, remember?" Daisuke asked with a tipsy smile that suggested the beer he held wasn't the first one he had that day. "I saw the blood when we were fighting later and put two and together."

"Not to mention you outed yourself," Takeru teased with a smirk.

"You really should've bandaged that injury, you know," Hikari said as she wagged a scolding finger.

Daisuke slapped his hand on Ken's back. "And worn shin guards! It's why we wear them, ya know?"

Ken frowned as he glanced at Daisuke, then turned to Hikari. "Ah, yes… I'm… not even sure why the coach allowed me to even _play_ without shin guards."

"Well, you _were_ the boy genius, Ken Ichijouji," Takeru said with a shrug. "The coach was probably glad you decided to play at _all_."

"I… suppose," Ken murmured.

Daisuke laughed as he clasped his hand around Ken and gave his jogress partner's shoulder a squeeze. "Don't get too cocky remembering what it was like being a genius or the Digimon Kaiser. Those days are long behind you."

Ken felt a twinge of pain in his heart that strained his smile at the corners. "R-right, of course. Long behind me."

A yelp drew the grown-up Chosen's attention to one of the children at play - a girl that was the spitting image of Miyako during her days of adventuring in the Digital World, but with Ken's hair coloring. She had tripped and fell flat on her face, sending her glasses tumbling onto the grass.

"Ah!" Ken immediately recognized the children as one of his and stood up. "Are you alright…"

The name refused to come. It should have rolled off his tongue as naturally as his own, but the moment he tried to speak it, there was nothing but a blank space in his brain underneath the placeholder label of 'my oldest daughter.'

Ken stared down at the child, _his_ child, as he struggled to remember her name, feeling embarrassment burn its way up his neck and across his face the longer the silence dragged on. Everyone was staring now, the problem obvious to all of them, even as he conjured up every memory he had of the little girl splayed on the ground a short distance away. All he saw were glimpses of typical things a little girl would do, but no name. He didn't even think he could recognize her _voice_ if he called to him.

Wormmon mercifully had managed to move when Ken could not, hurrying to pick up the fallen glasses and help the little girl up as his frozen partner watched. Even now, over thirty years on, he was ever dutiful whenever Ken fell short of what was expected of him, including being something close to a decent father.

When his daughter started to turn in his direction, Ken had to look away. He couldn't meet her gaze, how disappointed or hurt she must have felt right then. Unfortunately, he saw instead his friends' pinched faces as they stared at him. "Um…"

Takeru quirked an eyebrow. "Jeez, Ken. You don't even remember your own kid's name?"

"Um, I…," Ken faltered, hit hard by the truth being stated so plainly for all his friends to see. Ashamed, his eyes fell to the grass surrounding his feet as they swayed in the wind. "I-I'm…"

"I'm not surprised at all," Miyako said, with a sniff and a flip of her hair as she moved over to help her child up off the ground, the little girl staring up at her father with wide eyes brimming with moisture. "Ken doesn't remember _anything_ if it's not related to a case or Wormmon or Daisuke!"

Ken only caught a glimpse of his wife's disapproving face and his daughter's disappointed one before he had to turn away again with a grimace, his mortification increasing. "I… erm…"

"Naw, naw, he's just had a little too much to drink!" Daisuke said as he moved to wrap his arms around the former boy genius' neck, holding up his own beer. "Takes the edge off, and everything else with it!"

" _Honestly_ ," Miyako huffed as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Y-yes, that… that must be it," Ken said, softly, desperately latching onto the excuse like a lifeline. He glanced down at the open and nearly empty can of beer in his hands, which he hadn't even realized he had been drinking. At his wife's disapproving stare, he wilted and set the can onto the table. "I'm… sorry, dear. I'll cut back."

"You'd better," Miyako grunted. "If you get drunk, you're _walking_ home!"

"It's fine, it's fine!" Daisuke said, cheerfully. "Odaiba Memorial is for celebrating, right? And nothing's better for a celebration than a nice cold beer!"

" _A_ beer," Miyako said as she glared at Daisuke. "Not several."

"Hey, if he's too drunk, Ken can stay at _my_ place," Daisuke said, giving Ken's shoulders a squeeze. "Nat-chan's off on business, so I could use the company~!"

Ken looked up sharply at that, staring at Daisuke as his cheeks tinted red. "Eh?"

Miyako's eyes narrowed into slits, glaring daggers at not only the oblivious Daisuke but the blushing Ken as well. "On second thought, Ken is coming home whether he wants to or _not_!"

Ken turned to stare at his wife, taken aback both by her sudden change in attitude and her piercing stare. "Huh?"

Daisuke laughed hard at Miyako's reaction. "Ah, don't be jealous, Miyako. I'm only teasing. No one could ever take the place of my cute little Nat-chan~!"

Ken felt a twinge of irritation at Daisuke's words, but he refrained from glancing over at the goggle boy. "We just share a bond, as jogress partners. It's no different than you and Hikari."

Daisuke downed some of his beer and nodded deeply as he slammed the can down to the table. "That's right! We're just the ultimate partners!" His eyes then took a glossy sheen. "While Nat-chan is my ultimate wife!"

Ken glanced at Daisuke, his brow furrowing. A lot had happened over the years, starting with his reign as the Digimon Kaiser and ending with the epic battle against Belial Vamdemon. It had been a long, horrifying journey - and one that he wouldn't have been able to survive without Daisuke. The former goggle boy had given him understanding and encouragement, somehow able to understand what Ken was going through and read his heart when words had failed the former boy genius. Daisuke had forgiven him first, when no one else would, and gave him the strength he needed to keep going - to keep living. Even when Belial Vamdemon had showed him his secret wish to be killed by the Digimon for what he had done to them, it had been _Daisuke_ that pulled him out of that horrifying dream world and back into reality. Thanks to Daisuke, he had finally won the others over and gained friends, a family that loved him, and hope for the future.

With all those reasons in mind, Ken felt like an ungrateful little brat for feeling so jealous of the woman Daisuke loved with all his heart.

"Daisuke, out of everyone, deserves to be happy," Ken thought, sullenly. "I should be happy that he found someone who loves him… especially after Hikari." He didn't own Daisuke, he didn't own a monopoly on his happiness. Yet, despite _knowing_ all of this, he couldn't help but feel little flickers of anger and hatred before the woman who made stars appear in Daisuke's eyes.

Ken really was a disgusting human being.

"Wow, Ken," Daisuke said, prompting the former boy genius to look up at him in confusion, startled from his thoughts. "You're really mean to yourself, you know that?"

Ken stared at Daisuke, taken aback. "Huh? Oh, um… I suppose so?"

"But that's why we're partners, huh?" Daisuke said with a lopsided grin as he nudged Ken in the side. " _Someone_ has to keep you from whipping yourself all the time."

Ken stared at his jogress partner before his expression softened, a gentle smile appearing on his face. "That's right. Thank you, Daisuke."

"Ah, don't sweat it," Daisuke laughed as he ruffled Ken's hair. "It's what partners are for, right?"

Ken chuckled as his cheeks took a light pink tint. "O-of… of course."

"There you are, darling!"

Stars dazzled in Daisuke's eyes as he instantly flew from Ken's side to embrace the brunette who ran into his arms. "Nat-chan!"

Ken felt his heart painfully shrivel up as he watched the woman, Daisuke's wife Natsu, kiss his jogress partner with a mutual passion that was shameless even as the other adults made teasing comments that he barely heard over the blood rushing in his ears.

"I'm so glad you're here, honey~!" Natsu said in her oh, so perfectly melodious voice as the two came up for air. She was almost the spitting image of Hikari, save for the fact that her far longer hair curled ends and her emerald green eyes. She was more delicate looking than Hikari as well and favored frills and ribbons to accent her feminine figure. "I've been thinking about you all - day - long~!"

"Me too, Nat-chan," Daisuke said with a blissful sigh as he stole another kiss from his wife.

Hikari giggled behind her hand. "He's been pretty insufferable without you here, Nat-chan."

Natsu giggled, her voice so similar to Hikari's, save for the fact that it was slightly higher pitched and somehow sweeter to the point of being saccharine. "Oh darling, you haven't even been away for an hour."

"I can't help it, Nat-chan," Daisuke said as he picked up his wife and gave her a twirl in the air, eliciting a squeal of delight from Natsu. "I'm the luckiest man alive to have the most beautiful girl in the world as my wife, you know!"

Ken's cheek twitched violently before he managed to suppress it, and a bright false smile appeared on his face. "It's good to see you. I thought you were away on business."

Natsu giggled. "Business? What business would be more important to a housewife than taking care of her darling and her son?"

Daisuke nuzzled noses with Natsu, grinning. "Oh, Nat-chan. You're too good to us."

"I know~!" Natsu said brightly. "But that's only because you're the sweetest husband in the world, darling!"

Ken felt his twinge of irritation return full-force, enough that even his cheek twitched despite his best efforts to keep his expression neutral. "Oh, but won't that cause problems with your _boss_?" There was so much more he wanted to say, but he kept it as innocent sounding as he could. After all, the truth often didn't need anything extra to _sting_.

Natsu blinked her big green eyes at Ken in clear confusion. "Boss? What boss?" She paused for a moment before a giggle escaped her. "Oh, you mean darling~!" She snuggled up closer to Daisuke. "I suppose my dear husband _is_ my boss if you think about it. He's the one who works so hard to earn money for us after all~!"

Ken paused at that before he furrowed his brow. "...But Daisuke said that you were 'away on business'."

"Huuh?" Daisuke asked, cocking his head. "What do you mean? I told you guys Nat-chan was gonna be late because she was finishing up baking the dessert for the kids."

Ken opened his mouth to protest before he clamped it shut tight. He _knew_ what he had heard, or at least he thought he had, but suddenly found himself not quite so convinced. Just as Daisuke said, there was a stack of boxes on the picnic table that weren't there before. The sweet smell of sugary delights wafted from them the moment he laid his eyes on them, as though they waited until he noticed them to tempt him to take a bite.

Miyako leaned over to snatch away the nearly empty beer can from Ken's hand. "That sounds like my cue to cut you off. No more beer today for you, Ken; it's making you loopy."

Ken glanced with no small amount of irritation at his hand. _Another_ beer can had suddenly appeared despite him _distinctly_ remember placing it down already. He was starting to feel an ever increasing sense of anger about the whole series of events, but it could do little more than boil impotently within him. After all, it was his own failings that resulted in the current situation.

Daisuke laughed and reached out to lightly punch Ken in the shoulder. "Hey, don't let it get you down, Ken. You can always sweet talk Miyako into letting you have another later." He flashed his jogress partner a saucy smile and a knowing wink that sent Ken's heart fluttering high like a bird in flight before it abruptly sunk like a stone when Natsu began to giggle.

Natsu wrapped herself around Daisuke, rubbing her cheek against his. "Oh, darling, you're so naughty~!"

"Only with you," Daisuke retorted before his hand moved behind his wife and did something that made Natsu gasp and blush.

"Honey, not here~!" Natsu said in what was far too pleased tone to sound admonishing.

Ken nearly bit his tongue to keep himself from commenting and had no choice but to look away so that he wouldn't have to see the two pawing at each other anymore. If he wasn't drunk before, he definitely felt like getting drunk _now_.

"I really am a disgusting human being," Ken thought, his fists clenching so that they shook slightly.

"So," Miyako's voice interrupted Ken's thoughts, prompting him to look up to see his wife sauntering up to his side with a sly smile and a blush on her face. She leaned forward, hands on her hips. "Giving you any thoughts, hm~?"

Ken paused as he stared at the woman in front of him, as it clicked in his head that this was the woman he had married and sired not one but _three_ children with. As he stared at her, the only thought that crossed through his head was an outright rejection at the very suggestion. "Ah… hahah…"

Miyako wiggled her brow, with her small smirk on her face. "They're not the _only_ ones capable of public displays of affection. Isn't that right, I-chi-jo-ji~?"

Ken felt his stomach churn as his eyes widened. Logically, he knew this was the part where he was supposed to give his wife the affection she was clearly looking for. Yet, for the life of him, he couldn't bring himself to do it. The very idea that he had done so in the past, and _so much more_ , was more than a little baffling - even more so when he found himself unable to remember when or why he had done it. Much like the names of his children, he was drawing a complete and total blank. "Erm…"

"Hah, better watch it, or there'll be a fourth one on the way!" Daisuke said, laughing. "You're like rabbits!"

Ken let out a nervous laugh as he reached up to rub at the back of his head, before he paused and stared at Miyako. A pink light had suddenly appeared on the woman's glasses, reflecting off like sunlight while obstructing her eyes. It was such an unnatural phenomenon that he couldn't help but furrow his brow as his gaze flickered across her glasses, searching for some sort of explanation.

"Honey, those are _not_ the kind of eyes I want you making at me," Miyako said, the sweetness drying up from her expression.

Ken jerked at that as his eyes widened, realizing what he had done, and he quickly straightened up. "S-sorry, I just… the pink light…"

"Pink light?" Takeru repeated, slowly. "What pink light?"

Ken paused and turned to stare at Takeru, noting the blank expressions on his and Hikari's face, similarly mirrored on Daisuke's and Natsu's as well. The former boy genius glanced between his friends before pointing at his wife's glasses. "The… pink light. On her glasses."

"Pink light?" Hikari turned to stare at Miyako, then turned back to Ken. "I don't see a light, Ken."

"C'mon, just admit you're getting cold feet," Daisuke said as he elbowed Ken in the side. "You've always been like that!"

Ken squeaked at the elbow before he rubbed his side, then turned his attention back to Miyako. While he might have been inclined to listen to them, he couldn't ignore the very obvious glow on his wife's face. Something about it bothered him, both in its presence and its familiarity. "You… really don't see that?"

"I'd know if I had something on my face, Ichijouji," Miyako said. While he couldn't fully read her expression due to the light, her tone more than carried her irritation and disapproval. "Is there something wrong with your _wife_ wanting some affection?"

"I…," Ken began before he stopped, his eyes widening as a symbol slowly drifted into view on Miyako's glasses. It was a symbol he knew very well, and could never mistake for anything else - the Crest of Kindness.

The sight of his crest made Ken stop before quickly turning about to look for the source. He scanned the area, seeing nothing but park, before his eyes drifted upwards to the sky. It was there that the Chosen of Kindness was struck speechless, gawking at the sight of the symbol of Kindness shining brightly in the sky, completely replacing the sun as its pink light cast a soft glow on everything it touched - including Ken's face.

After several moments of silence, Ken finally found his voice. "What… what is…"

" _Ken-chan!"_ Wormmon's shout echoed through the sky from somewhere far off. Though it seemed distant, there was no mistaking the panic and desperation in his voice.

"Wormmon?" Ken asked, suddenly a child again - looking no older than he had during his Digimon Kaiser days as he stared blankly up at the glowing crest that illuminated the dimming sky.

"Ken, you're seriously starting to worry your wife," Miyako said, her voice coming out distorted and somehow further away than before. It was enough to snap Ken's attention back to her, only to freeze as he realized that he had to stare _upwards_ at his adult wife.

That was when Miyako's face began to flake away at the edges, disintegrating a little at a time like bits of data from a dying Digimon.

"Miya… ko?" Ken blurted out as he gaped in horror, unable to fully comprehend what he was seeing. It was then that he noticed the same thing was not only happening to Miyako, but everyone else around him - the other Chosen, their children, and even their very surroundings. The whole world was crumbling around him.

"What's wrong, Ken?" Daisuke asked, as if completely oblivious to the fact that he was dissolving right before the Chosen of Kindness' very eyes.

"Daisuke!" Ken shouted as he instinctively reached out to grab his jogress partner, only for the action to cause Daisuke to explode in a burst of data, like the head of a dandelion puff in a strong wind. The sight caused Ken to let out a scream as he jerked backwards, clutching his hands instinctively to his chest.

After taking a few steps back, he heard Wormmon call him again, and he whipped his head around searching for his partner in growing desperation. "Wormmon? Wormmon! Where are you!?"

Wormmon wasn't there. He should have been standing next to the child staring blankly at Ken, the child whose name he _still_ didn't know, but Wormmon wasn't there.

No matter where Ken looked , his partner was nowhere to be seen - only destruction as the world crumbled to dust.

Panic overtook Ken then as he could only helplessly watch his friends and family disappearing into the breathing came rapid and hitched as he felt his heart lurch up into his throat. He took another step backwards, away from the horror that was happening about him, but there was no escape. Before he could even think of what to say, or _do_ , the pink light intensified.

"Ken-chan, wake up!" Wormmon's voice echoed again, much louder this time and clear like a chiming bell. "You have to wake up!"

In that instant, everything finally disappeared into the light.

 _The tension in the Dark World was palpable, as the turbulent waters of the Dark Ocean churned and wobbled as if in the midst of a chaotic storm despite no change to the perpetually dreary skies. The voices were louder now, screaming, cackling, wailing, and ranting a fever pitch of emotions. The storm that stirred it up was happening in the Digital World itself, and all Keiko could do was watch in tense vigil as she stood on the shoreline._

 _At least, until a strange sound drew Keiko's attention away from the ocean. On edge, she turned about instantly before her eyes flew open, shock and horror coloring her otherwise pale features._

 _Standing before her, with a blank look on his face, was Ken. His eyes were devoid of all light, completely cast in shadow as they stared past her into the churning waters. He didn't even acknowledge her presence, staring through her as if she were transparent._

" _Ken-chan!?" Keiko blurted out, though the Chosen of Kindness gave no response to her words. She rushed towards her dear friend and swiftly struck him against the cheek. "_ _ **Go back**_ _!" she commanded._

 _But there was no reaction, not even a twitch from the strike itself despite how much power she had poured into it. Ken was still in the Dark World, remaining in exactly the same position before, practically lifeless. Even though his eyes were finally blue once more, they were dead - Ken had shut down completely._

" _Ken-chan…," Keiko murmured as her heart broke for him._

 _It was then that her attention was again drawn to a strange sound behind her, but she knew instantly what it was before she even looked - it was a screech of jealous triumph and_ _ **hunger**_ _._

 _The Dark Ocean was flooding._

 _Keiko whipped about to stare at the water distorting and twisting as it surged upwards, mangled thrashing limbs grasping towards the shore amidst gaping mouths and empty eyes all focused on Ken. They came at her, growing brazen despite their most feared enemy right in front of them._

 _It seemed that their desire to reclaim their long held puppet was far greater than their fear of Keiko._

 _Keiko jerked back in horror before she turned to grab Ken's shoulders, giving them another rough shake as she struggled to exert any force at all on his body without one of her own. "Ken, snap out of it!_ _ **Now**_ _!"_

 _Ken wobbled, but more due to the force Keiko exerted on him than due to any real reaction._

 _Keiko grimaced before she glanced back at the Dark Ocean as it rushed forward, a tsunami of howling mouths and twisting hands. She grit her teeth before turning back to Ken, then lunged to wrap her arms around him, her ghostly body going through him even as she tried to hold him tight._

" _ **I won't let it take you again!**_ _"_

 _And then, the Dark Ocean overtook them._

Ken awoke with a start, a small gasp escaping him as his eyes snapped open. Instead of melting horrors or pink glowing suns, the Chosen of Kindness found himself staring instead at plain white ceiling tile - reminiscent of a hospital room. The comparison didn't stop there - the equipment lining the walls, floors, and even the very bed he was resting in all looked straight out of a hospital room.

Including the fact that he now wore nothing but a hospital gown.

Ken jerked as he scrambled to his feet, though he immediately regretted the action when his legs wobbled and gave out beneath him, dropping him to the floor in an unceremonious heap. The strange device he had been wearing fell right off his head and hit the floor, clattering noisily. He barely took heed of the unusual looking headset and focused more on the pain in his rump and the ache in his legs. Grimacing, he eyed his splayed legs before rubbing the stiff muscles. It felt as if he had just come from a deep sleep, and his body hadn't woken up yet.

"What's going on?" Ken murmured as he massaged his legs, trying to stimulate the muscles and get rid of the lingering lagginess. His actions seemed to work, if the tingling in his toes were any indication. Once the feeling subsided, he tried again to stand, leaning against the hospital bed for support, and found that this time, he could at least hold his own weight, mostly.

Ken sighed. "Okay, at least I'm on my feet again." No longer fearing that he might fall over, he took the time to give another look around the room. "Where _is_ this?"

Naturally, the room offered no answer to his question. Everything remained still and silent, save for the angry beeping of one of the monitors that flashed various data with no context.

Ken furrowed his brow before he turned his focus upon himself, noting not only his attire but his physical state. Slowly, he lifted his hands to stare at them, turning them front and back, before using them to pat down his body. "So I didn't imagine it… I'm really… a child again? How is that even possible?" While he had to admit that anything was possible when the Digital World was involved, he was from the _real_ world - the laws of reality still reigned supreme and that reality dictated that he should have been a middle-aged man.

It was in that moment that Ken vividly recalled the visions of his friends and family dissolving into nothingness, freezing him in place. His stomach churned at the memory before he gave a quick shake of his head. It must have been related to whatever reverted his body. They had to be alright. Daisuke and the others couldn't be…

Ken shook his head again firmly. "I've… got to see if I can contact anyone."

With that in mind, Ken turned towards the computer monitors on the far side of the room. Crossing the distance between the bed and there should have been simple, but his weakened body slowed him and forced him to lean on whatever piece of furniture he could before he could finally, mercifully, sink down into the chair and face the computer. At least sitting down wasn't going to be a struggle for him.

"I may not be a genius anymore, but I can at least use a computer," Ken muttered as he began to type away.

That was, if he could get past the password screen. Unfortunately for him, this one was locked with no clear way to override or reset the password - not that he had confidence he could've accomplished either anyway; not with his current abilities.

Ken sighed as he hung his head, lightly smacking his hands down to either side of the built-in keyboard in frustration. "Of course."

His eyes drifted about the room, searching for something that might give a hint of the password. While he wasn't a genius anymore, he _was_ still a detective, even in this small body. The problem was that he was in a hospital room, one of high quality and luxury, but there were no personal effects to be seen. When no answer was immediately forthcoming, his eyes immediately settled on his only other option - the door.

Ken frowned at the lack of any clues. "If there's nothing for me in _here_ , maybe I'll find something out _there_."

With that, he braced himself before heading towards the door, his legs slowly adjusting to his body weight to the point that he was able to make it with only mild assistance from the nearby furniture. Once there, he turned his attention instead to the touch panel by the door. It was hard not to notice it, with the light embedded at the top of it flashing bright red like an alarm.

For a moment, Ken hesitated. There was no doubt that there would be a lock on the door like the computer. Unfortunately, as seconds ticked by in the flickering glow of the red light, he knew that there was no choice but to try. The instant he pressed his palm against the panel, he was startled by the smooth 'woosh' of the door automatically sliding into the wall. For a moment he marveled at his good fortune, then lingered for a moment longer to stare out into the ominous dark hallway.

There was some sort of emergency going on, that much was clear. It was also clear that he wasn't in a normal hospital, but what that meant was still unknown. Regardless, those two facts, coupled with the weakness of his body, put him on edge as he slowly stepped out into the hallway with one hand braced on the wall.

With an abundance of caution, Ken carefully made his way down the hall into the unknown depths. Each footstep was measured, not just out of concern for his surroundings but also for the safety of his feet; being barefoot, the Chosen of Kindness would be in a world of trouble if he accidentally stepped on something sharp.

It wasn't before long that a darkened door appeared into view. Thanks to the almost all-consuming darkness, Ken didn't see it until it was nearly upon him, forcing him to stop sharply and crouch a safe distance away as he angled his head to inspect the door. As expected, the door offered no indication of what might be hidden behind it, including any potential threats, which left him with no guidance as to his next steps.

Ken frowned, and, after glancing to his left and right to give the dark corridor a quick look for any sign of movement, crossed over the hallway to press up against the wall next to the door. There he eyed the wall panel by the door before tentatively reaching his hand to touch it, uncertain to expect good fortune twice. He quickly jerked his hand back when the panel activated, glowing a faint red seconds before the door slid open with a 'swoosh.'

Ken tensely waited a moment before he slowly leaned forward to peer inside the room. Instead of another hospital room, he saw what appeared to be - for all intents and purposes - a storage room. Boxes were piled high as a wide assortment of items lined the shelves that covered the walls.

Ken gave blink before his stance eased, the tension momentarily leaving his body. While it certainly wasn't the way out, it still offered him an opportunity to scavenge for something useful, like _pants_ or a pair of shoes. Also, with its proximity so close to the room where he had been held, he might even be able to find his personal effects - though he knew far better than to hope for such good fortune.

As Ken ventured further into the storage room, he first focused on the plethora of boxes that were neatly stacked in the center of the room. Unfortunately, rooting through them only brought him disappointment when he found that there wasn't much interesting within them. There was a large amount of electronic supplies, but most had clearly seen better days; many showed some sort of damage, from cracks to dents to even some signs of fire damage.

Holding up a partially melted motherboard, Ken furrowed his brow. "Why would anyone even keep this? It's completely useless..."

Discarding the broken equipment in a nearby box, the Chosen of Kindness ventured further into the back of the storage room. It was then that he noticed strange glass test tubes that lined the walls. Ken stopped and turned to stare at them, furrowing his brow. It wasn't immediately apparent what the tubes were used for, but it was clear that they had seen some rough days themselves. Still, something about the sight made him feel uneasy, though he couldn't figure out why.

The mysterious discomfort was enough to make Ken hesitant to look at the tubes longer than necessary. He couldn't even muster the energy to examine them up close, instead quickly looking away. In doing so, he found himself staring at something else - an electronic base that took up the entire back wall of the storage facility. The top of the base was lined with shards of glass, though most of it was splotched gray, as if something had stained it.

"What is…?" Ken began as the uncomfortable feeling returned a hundredfold, making his stomach churn.

It was then that Ken realized what he was staring at. It was a test tube, much like the others. However, it was absolutely _massive_.

Ken gaped at the massive destroyed test tube, finally noticing that similar bits of stained glass were propped around it. Even as his mind tried to figure out what he was looking at, all of his senses were screaming at him to back away - _get away_ \- from the damaged equipment as quickly as he could.

"I-it doesn't make sense," Ken murmured. "It's broken, just like everything else. So why would I-"

 _Armagemon's terrifying visage turned to face Ken, saliva oozing down between his razor sharp teeth to drip along his exposed red gums. He stared with empty, murderous eyes that focused far too intently on the small Chosen Child_.

Ken jerked back with a scream, bringing his hands up to clasp at his head. Even with his face covered he continued to scramble back, not watching where he was going. He promptly tripped on one of the boxes, falling backwards in a crumpled heap.

The Chosen of Kindness grimaced before he sat up, then gave a quick shake of his head. While the fall had definitely hurt, it managed to clear his head of the terrible vision that had suddenly assaulted him.

"Thank goodness for small favors, I suppose…," Ken muttered as he reached up to rub at his eyes with his hands, as if trying to wipe away any lingering visions of psychotic Digimon staring at him. He had no idea what it was supposed to mean, and wasn't particularly keen on finding out.

"Found you~!"

The strange voice was sing-song, far too cheerful for such dark and unnerving surroundings. It sent Ken into a panic as he quickly looked around for the source only to find a strange little yellow Digimon with a vapid smile directly behind him.

"Aww," Neemon cooed. "What's wrong, Ken-chan? Did something scare you?"

Ken paused at that as he stared at the strange Digimon in front of him. The Digimon's sudden appearance was startling, despite his disarmingly dopey expression. "A… Digimon?" While his first instinct was to think that the Digimon's appearance at least confirmed he was in the Digital World, he was quick to dismiss it - after all, their worlds were fused now.

Neemon tilted his head, his expression vapid even as he scrutinized the disarmed confusion on Ken's face. "Ehhh? You're not scared of little old Neemon, are you?"

The question was enough to draw Ken's thoughts back to the Digimon in front of him. He blinked before he furrowed his brow. The Digimon was acting very familiar with him, and his mind was quick to point out that Neemon had even addressed him by name - with an affectionate suffix at that. "Um... I'm sorry, do I... know you?"

Neemon paused as his eyes suddenly opened wide as he openly gaped at Ken. The Digimon's expression was so exaggerated that it reminded Ken of an anime character, with his tiny pinprick eyes in two massive saucers of white that made up his eyes. It would've been comical, if it hadn't been so creepy.

However, before Ken could spend too much time dwelling on the uncanniness, Neemon suddenly let out a heartrending wail. Tears flowed like twin rivers down his clamped-shut eyes as the strange noodly Digimon seemed utterly overtaken with despair..

"Y-you _forgot_ me!?" Neemon sobbed. "K-Ken-chan forgot all about Neemon?!" He then threw his head back as he sobbed, the rivers growing into waterfalls that sprayed outward. "I t-t-t-thought we were _friends_ -!"

In an instant, Ken was hit with an overwhelming sense of shame and guilt. He quickly brought up his hands, trying to soothe the distraight Digimon. "I-I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I…!"

"B-but why? Why did Ken-chan forget _Neemon_?" Neemon continued to wail, inconsolable.

"I-I don't know!" Ken said, desperately. "I… just… woke up in this strange place and I seem to be missing a lot of my memories, not just those related to you!"

Neemon sniffled as his ears drooped, his face looking actively soggy from his tears. "R-really?"

"Really," Ken said, feeling relieved that Neemon had stopped outright bawling, at least for the moment. "There are a lot of things that I… really, really don't understand right now." Like, for instance, the fact that he was a child again despite being a _grown man with a family_. While Digimon reverted to their child forms all the time, he was a _human_ and it was absolutely physically impossible. Yet, he couldn't deny that it was precisely what had apparently happened.

"Really, _really_?" Neemon repeated, with a pathetic quiver of his lower lip.

"Really, really," Ken said, nodding. He couldn't help the sigh of relief as Neemon seemed to accept his explanation, the Digimon ceasing his tears before he let out a little sniffle as he wiped at his snotty nose with one of his noodly arms. "Um. Neemon, was it?"

"Yep!" Neemon said brightly, as if he hadn't just been a sobbing wreck.

Ken was taken aback by the abrupt change, but decided to dismiss it. As cruel as it was to think, the Digimon didn't exactly give off the impression that he had much of a light in his attic - barely a candle, at best. "Do you… know where we are?"

"Oh, that's easy," Neemon said as he wiggled his body, causing his arms to swing from side to side. "We're in the Digimon Kaiser's fortress!"

Ken stopped dead at that as he stared at Neemon. "Hah?"

"Yep, yep~!" Neemon chirped as he continued to wiggle. "We're in the Digimon Kaiser's main fortress, where he rules over his lands with an iron fist! And whip! Fist whip!"

"But _I'm_ …," Ken began but couldn't finish the words. Even now, years later, it still brought him no small amount of shame, but the fact remained that _he_ had been the Digimon Kaiser. It was _his_ persona, the one he created when he played tyrant in the Digital World. To hear Neemon talk about that persona as if it belonged to someone else was more than a little disorienting. "But how is that… possible?"

"Because you're standing here, of course," Neemon answered cheerfully.

Ken flinched as if he had been physically struck, recoiling to grasp at the chest area of his hospital robe. "B-but that's… I mean, I haven't… that doesn't make any sense!"

"Of course it does!" Neemon said, smiling. "What doesn't make sense is why you're not wearing any pants. I thought you hated it when everyone stared at your butt, Ken-chan."

Ken jerked as he blushed a deep scarlet red. In an instant, he whipped his hands about to grab the back tips of the hospital robe, pulling them tightly together to try and hide his backside as best he could. "I-I… this is _not_ my... I woke up like this!" he sputtered, his voice taking a higher pitch as embarrassment burned bright on his face.

Neemon cocked his head before nodding. "Ohhh… You like sleeping with no pants. And no underwear!"

"I-I wasn't-!" Ken protested, his face somehow managing to turn an even darker shade. "It's not like that!"

Neemon tilted his head the other way. "You sleep with no shirt too?"

"I wasn't _sleeping_ , I was-!" Ken began before he paused. "Well, I… I don't really know what I was doing, but…" He glanced down at his attire, even as he continued to hold the backside closed. "B-but this was _not_ my choice!"

"Huhhhh…," Neemon said, pausing for a moment as though thinking. "So you strip in your sleep?"

"N-No, I… no!" Ken said with a shake of his head. "No stripping! Enough with the stripping!"

"Okaaaayyy!" Neemon responded without hesitation, smiling.

Ken let out a frustrated sigh. He knew he had to be patient with Neemon, as the little Digimon was clearly not playing with a full deck, but it was really hard to keep his temper in check when his nerves were already frayed. His entire situation - and not just his state of dress - was enough to drive him to drink.

"Hey, Ken-chan," Neemon said, drawing Ken out of his thoughts so that he looked to meet the Digimon's smiling face. Once he had Ken's attention, Neemon made a show of rubbing his scarred belly. "I'm _hungry_! Let's go get something to eat!"

"Huh? Oh, um," Ken blinked at that before he furrowed his brow. At the thought of food, his stomach rumbled its own agreement, but he could see one major flaw in the plan. "Well, unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any food in here… we could try to find a kitchen, but I don't think that'd be very safe..."

"We could go to the diner!" Neemon said, cheerfully. "Digitamamon's food is _aaaaalways_ delicious!"

"Er, well," Ken frowned. He distinctly got the impression that Neemon wasn't physically capable of having more than one thought at the same time. "That's a nice idea and all, Neemon, but we'd first have to get out of here… wherever here is."

"Don't worry, don't worry~!" Neemon practically sang as he wiggled his arms at his sides like streamers billowing in the wind. "I can take care of that."

Ken stared at Neemon. He doubted the Digimon's words, but was at least polite enough not to voice it. "R-really? How?"

With a commotion not unlike a chorus of foghorns sounded, coupled with the ripe stench of something ghastly unearthed from beneath a choppy sea, a sickly colored fog rolled out from Neemon's backside. Ken could do more than cry out in alarm as he released the hospital robe to cover his face before the cloud of noxious fumes overtook them both and turned everything to black.

* * *

The atmosphere was rather bright and cheerful as the Chosen Children entered the Temple of Miracles. The restoration of the Village of Beginnings served as a particularly positive outcome that boosted their morale considerably. After all the recent unrest and hardship they experienced, they were in dire need of _positive_ outcomes.

"Well, well, aren't you all a chipper lot," Jijimon said as he stood at the center of the grand mural on the floor, watching the human children and their partners as they entered the great cathedral. "A lot better than I was expectin', all things considered."

"Welcome back, children," Babamon said, with a gentle smile as she stood not far from her partner. "It is good to see you all safe."

Yamato paused at that before he arched his eyebrows. "Wait, so you already know-?"

"That you decided to go on a day trip straight to Hell? 'Course we do," Jijimon said with a sniff of his nose. "We also know how badly it _almost_ ended for ya, too."

"But… how?" Taichi asked. He certainly didn't recall sending an email to let the two know, or even let them know that they were coming to visit. "Did Cassandramon…?"

" _Hah_!" Jijimon let out a bark of laughter. " _Her_? Don't make me laugh!" He paused for a moment. "'cept you did. But whatever." He shook his head. "That Digimon never tells anyone anythin' unless it suits her. And don't you forget that."

"She didn't need to tell us, dears, nor did we need _you_ to tell us," Babamon said, gently. "We know because it is our duty - our _programming_ \- to know. To know… and to archive that knowledge."

"Wait, does that mean you see the future too?" Koshiro asked as he approached the two elderly Digimon with quick steps, his eyes lighting up with eager interest.

"No," Babamon said with a shake of her head. "We see the _past_."

"Most of it, at any rate," Jijimon said as he tapped the bottom of his staff against the floor. "Within certain boundaries."

"Uh," Daisuke blinked before he furrowed his brow. "What good is _that_?"

"Not a damn whole lot!" Jijimon said with a bark of laughter.

Babamon frowned at her husband before she sighed and turned her attention to the children. "We were created by Huanglongmon as a means to record the history of the Digital World. We are observers, meant to _remember_. Huanglongmon believed that so long as _someone_ remembers, nothing is truly ever lost."

"Including himself?" Takeru asked, musing more to himself than to the two Digimon. His arms were crossed as he stared downward at the floor, his mind quick to recall the monstrosity they had faced in the Dark World.

"Yes," Babamon answered before letting out a weary sigh. "Not that he ever considered the possibility at the time."

"No one did," Jijimon agreed, his voice going sullen.

Wallace looked at the two solemn Digimon before he turned to stare at the massive golden shrine at the center of the cathedral. While he didn't know as much about Digimon as the other children, he still felt a pang of sympathy for the long-dead deity. "[The Digital World's version of Ozymandias…]"

"[Look upon my works, Ye Mighty!]" Noir chirped before he lifted his paws above his head, curving his claws as his face twisted in a comically exaggerated menacing scowl. "[And _despaaaair_!]"

Mimi blinked repeatedly at Wallace and Noir. "Ozey… wha?"

Wallace paused at that before he gave Mimi an apologetic smile. "It's a sonnet I heard in class." He paused before deciding to switch to English, as it was difficult enough to explain even in his own language, let alone a second one. "[It's about a great pharaoh who supposedly left many incredible works behind to boast about his greatness, only to have nothing left to show for it. It's a parable about hubris. Just like Ozymandias, Huanglongmon never considered that he too might one day leave nothing but dust and rubble behind.]"

"Oh," Mimi said before blushing, realizing that, since they shared a class, she really should have recognized the name. "[I must've forgotten that one.]"

Koshiro let out a quiet, thoughtful hum. "[That sounds like an appropriate comparison given the situation.]" At noticing Taichi's questioning gaze, he quickly reverted back to Japanese. "It's nothing. We're just talking about literature."

"Uh… okay?" Taichi responded, only growing more baffled by the answer. What did books have to do with the Digital World?

Miyako reached up to adjust her glasses. "Cassandramon said you two would answer a couple questions, now that we've been to the Dark Ocean."

"I wouldn't say it's so much 'cuz you've been to the Dark World, but more that you saw what was hidin' under the waters," Jijimon said. "Far more than we ever wanted ya to see."

"What can you tell us about… that?" Yamato asked as he crossed his arms. He tried to keep his expression stoic, but the conversation brought back memories unbidden of the horrors he saw in the hospital. He hadn't gotten a full night's sleep since then.

"Quite a bit!" Jijimon said, with an inappropriate amount of cheer. "As ya might already know, that place is the first - and only - human city ever built in our Digital World. A group of humans made that place their base of operations, through which they terrorized our world… all in the name of science."

"But… _how_?" Jou asked, incredulous.

"No one knows," Jijimon said with a shake of his head. "Just that one day they all showed up with basically the keys to the city, and there wasn't a damn thing anyone - least of all the DigiGods - could do about it."

"It was as if they had supremacy over the very code of our world itself," Babamon said in a low, unsettled voice. "They could bend it to their will, regardless of what affect it would have on us or this world."

"And that's precisely what they did," Jijimon said. "Many times. Just to see what would happen."

Tailmon frowned. Given everything they had seen and what they had heard up until that point, it was pretty clear that the first humans to visit the Digital World were little more than invaders. Their actions were the clear source of Zhuqiaomon's negative impression of humanity as a whole, which left the Chosen Children to suffer the consequences of those humans' crimes. Then, there was that _other_ aspect of their legacy that the children had to deal with… "Cassandramon said one thing that, to be perfectly honest, made us more than a little concerned."

"Only _one_ thing?" Jijimon asked with a chuckle. "That 'mon isn't shy about jabbing at your deepest insecurities if it means getting the reaction she wants."

V-mon scowled as he recalled how Cassandramon had bullied Daisuke. His ears canted back as he clenched his fists, his tail lashing angrily behind him. "Yeah, we _know_."

Daisuke rubbed his arm and looked away, trying not to show how much what Cassandramon said to him still left him feeling unsettled.

Miyako reached up to adjust her glasses. "She said something about the crests being created to control the gods."

Jijimon paused at that before he glanced to Babamon, who met his tense stare with one of her own. He hesitated to speak for a long white, before finally slumping his shoulders with a defeated sigh. "Well, she certainly didn't think twice about droppin' _that_ nasty bomb on ya, did she."

"It… can't be true, can it?" Sora asked as she looked between the two elderly Digimon. Unfortunately, she couldn't even believe her own denial - not with the sudden unpleasant change in atmosphere between the two. "We'd never want to do anything like that!"

"Oh, it's true, alright," Jijimon said with a shake of his head. "An' it's through no fault of yer own. Yer just as much victims as the DigiGods were."

"What do you mean?" Koshiro asked, taking a step forward unthinkingly. "The DigiGods were the ones who made us Chosen Children in the first place, weren't they?"

Babamon sighed and tapped her broom against the floor before leaning against it. "I suppose you could say yes, at least in the sense that the name 'Chosen Children' ultimately came from them."

"However," Jijimon said as he gripped his staff tightly. "You all had yer crests long, long before you 'became' Chosen Children… an' before your partners even existed."

"I remember!" Taichi blurted out. "Tenraimon told us about this through Hikari years ago. It was when Parrotmon and Graymon fought at Hikarigaoka, right?"

"That was when the DigiGods _found_ you," Babamon said, a slight note of hesitance to her voice before she turned to Hikari. "Rather… most of you."

"Found… us?" Hikari repeated, slowly.

"But why would they need to 'find' us if they already knew who we were?" Yamato asked. "This doesn't make any sense!"

Miyako narrowed her eyes at the elderly pair. "You're dancing around some big and nasty truth bomb, aren't you."

Jijimon let out a breathless chuckle. "That's quite an understatement, toots."

Babamon toyed with her necklace, her fingers brushing across the symbol of Light. "I suppose we shouldn't dance around the issue when you've learned so much already. This isn't going to be an easy thing to learn about… but I suppose it's best to start by putting it simply. The humans who conquered our world were the ones responsible for your crests." She raised her head and panned her gaze across each person. "They were the ones who took fifteen children from your world and changed them to be irrevocably tied to our world."

"What?" Iori gaped at Babamon. "But how is that… why would they even do such a thing?" It seemed completely illogical on every level.

"'Cuz they were crazy? Sadistic? Psychopathic?" Jijimon said. "Take your pick."

Babamon pursed her lips in a sour expression as she shot Jijimon a look before wilting with a sigh. "The humans captured the DigiGods, as I'm sure you've learned by now. However, capture isn't the same as control. The existence of our gods are more immense, more complex than even the code that makes our world. They are the reason why it exists, why our worlds are now forever linked. Those humans wanted not just to contain that power, but to control it and use it as they saw fit. Since their technology couldn't handle such a task, and they didn't want to risk creating a new AI program like the DigiGods, they thought that perhaps their answer could be found… biologically."

"They essentially reverse-engineered their own Digimon, using humans as a base," Jijimon said before making a grand sweeping gesture with his staff. "And guess who won the lottery? And by lottery, I mean 'didn't die from having Digital Code shoved in your DNA'."

Choked gasps and horrified sputters escaped the collective children as they reeled from the shock. However, their blurted out, half-formed questions were cut off by Babamon raising her voice quickly. "Please, wait a moment before you all start! Let us finish explaining what we know so we don't get lost in a lot of unnecessary and stressful details."

"They first tried to do it using adults," Jijimon said once the children had mostly quieted. "Some of their own even volunteered, eager to gain that kinda power. Promise of godhood, and all that." His expression immediately darkened. "Their bodies rejected the code, and… well, let's just say no one volunteered after that."

Babamon paused to shoot Jijimon a warning look before she focused back on the children. "To skip quite a few of the more… disturbing details along the way, they eventually found success in… hospital maternity wards."

"Wait, so the process killed adults, so they decided to try it on _babies_!?" Yamato blurted out, aghast. "Are you _serious_!?"

Taichi spat out a particularly ugly curse as his hands curled into tight fists. "What the hell were they thinking?! Why would a _baby_ survive if an adult can't!?"

Babamon sighed and rubbed her forehead. She mumbled something to herself that the children failed to hear before she let out another sigh. "Let's just say they performed… many, _many_ tests before they came to this conclusion."

Tailmon's ear twitched before both folded back as she focused on Babamon. Unlike the humans, she caught what the old Digimon had said, and it made her fur nearly crawl off her skin.

"Newborns are… malleable, so to speak. Like blank slates," Jijimon said tentatively. "They aren't fully formed yet, in more ways than one. The scientists hoped that if they inserted the Digital Code _then_ , that the risk of it bein' rejected would be much lower." For a moment, he went silent, turning his head to gaze at some point far off in the distance. "An' if worse came to worst? Well, it wasn't _their_ baby. Plenty more born every day."

Jou made a choking noise, the horror frothing and bubbling inside of him until it overflowed into nonsense that sputtered out through his clenched teeth, When words failed him, he gestured chaotically with his hands, flailing about to point and motion without success.

"Yeah, what Jou said," Gomamon muttered.

"That is… unconscionable!" Iori snarled. "To think that they'd be so depraved-!"

"How dare they do that to I-o-ri!" Ryudamon growled.

"B-but wait! Wait!" Koshiro bought up his hands, as if trying to calm down the room - even though it was more for himself than the others. "But that doesn't make any sense! Why would they just give random infants power over the Digital World? How would that even help them?"

"Ain't it obvious?" Jijimon asked, cocking his head towards Koshiro. "They were gonna kidnap ya, once you were all old enough to stop poopin' and droolin' all over yourselves, and raise you to be their little slaves. You woulda been 'programmed' to do their bidding for them - just more tools, not even deservin' of being considered human yourselves."

"Are… are you serious?" Takeru asked, his voice weak. He thought he had been bad off before when staring down the corpse of Huanglongmon, but his head hurt far more now than it ever had in the Dark Ocean.

"When Huanglongmon killed himself, he didn't just save Narakumon and Tenraimon," Jijimon said. He pointed his staff, swinging it lightly as he gestured at all the children. "He saved _you_ too. He's the reason you all weren't torn away from your families and raised like little walkin', talkin' computer terminals… because the bastards were too _dead_ to do it by that point."

Miyako ran her hands through her hair, but only served to make herself more disheveled. "Okay… okay so wait, wait." She held up her hands, as though somehow that would make everything slow down and ease the spinning in her head. "Okay, so… _they_ made the crests and put them inside us?"

Babamon drew circles in the air with her broom in a vague gesture. "They're responsible for their existence, but it's more like they made you into something that would create them. They created the _programming_ that allowed the crests to exist in the first place."

"But why fifteen?" Koshiro asked, trying desperately to bury his horror under facts and knowledge. "Why not just stop at three with Hikari, Keiko, and Ryo?"

"You're the computer whiz, right?" Jijimon asked, though his tone made it clear that he already knew the answer. "You familiar with the master/slave relationship, when it comes to computers?"

Koshio felt a chill run up his spine. He tugged at his shirt, suddenly finding it too tight around his throat as he swallowed a lump he found there, before finally nodding. "You… you mean the God Crests are the master programs, and the rest of us are…"

"Sharin' the load, so to speak," Jijimon said. "Givin' your 'master' more processin' power, more power in _general_ … enough to suppress even an uppity bastard like Huanglongmon."

"Wait," Daisuke blurted out, his eyes going wide. "Most of us were meant to be _slaves_!?"

Hikari covered her mouth. She felt as though she should say something, _anything_ as she looked from her brother to Iori and finally Takeru, but nothing came.

Jijimon eyed Daisuke. "Ain't you been listenin'? You _all_ were gonna be slaves. Bein' the slave of a slave is like a turd of a turd. It all stinks and you don't wanna get any of that crap near ya."

"A slave is still a slave," Takeru murmured, hoarsely as he met Hikari's horrified gaze. "It's all the same."

"There is something of a silver lining," Babamon said, her voice trying to sound soothing despite the weary undertone. "We believe that because of that degree of separation most of you had from the DigiGods, as well as each of your own individual free will, you transformed what was once a fraction of a god's element and made it your own. This, we believe, is why the Guard Crests became unique reflections of you. In a sense, you _evolved_ , even beyond what the humans could have ever predicted."

Sora reached up to place her hand over her chest. "Because of Huanglongmon… because of what he did, we were able to grow… to live like normal children, and become _ourselves_. He saved our lives…"

"And paid dearly for it," Tailmon muttered.

"I'm glad he did," Piyomon said solemnly as she pressed her wings over her chest as well. "It's sad that he had to die, but he saved everyone, including Sora and all of our partners." She raised her head to smile softly at her partner. "I know I'll always be grateful for that."

"So how the heck do _we_ fit in to all this?" Kudamon asked. "Doesn't sound like the humans would've wanted their pet computers to have _pets_ themselves!"

" _That_ , at least, you can thank Tenraimon and Narakumon for," Jijimon said. "When they decided to stop seein' you as enemies of this world and instead as possible allies, they decided to give ya'll partners - friends - who would protect you an' help you protect _us_."

"When…," Hikari whispered, only to pause as her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and wet her lips before trying again. "When did Tenraimon and Narakumon… stop seeing us as the enemy?"

Babamon smiled gently at Hikari. "Tenraimon never blamed you children, if that helps any. No matter how jaded humanity may have made her, she was aware that you were all innocent pawns in a cruel game."

Jijimon snorted. "'Course Narakumon's another story. Tenraimon had to beat sense into his head more than once before he finally came 'round, and even then it was only really 'cause o' Keiko that he stopped thinkin' y'all were gonna follow in yer 'masters' dead footsteps or somethin'. He only put up with Tenraimon's plan to protect ya and make friends and all that mush until then because she had him sleepin' in the dog house until he gave in to his wife's nagging." He turned to Babamon with a wry smirk. "Can't say I blame him. It's pretty bad on the back."

Babamon tapped Jijimon on the forehead with the bristles of her broom, her mouth quirking only a little before the weary lines in her face erased what little mirth her expression held. "Don't think I don't hear what you're implying, but I'm not in the mood to play around right now." She turned back to Hikari. "In answer to your question, dearie… Narakumon stopped trying to move against you after the incident at Hikarigaoka."

Hikari froze. "Parrotmon…?"

Babamon sighed and shook her head. "I'm afraid you have that backwards, dear…" She and Jijimon then turned their gaze to Agumon.

Agumon stared back at the pair, his expression blank, before he pointed to himself. "Wh… me!? What?"

Taichi looked back and forth between the pair and his partner, baffled. "What? What about Agumon?" A surge of unease bloomed in his chest, putting him on the defensive. "What're you trying to say?"

"I'm sorry," Babamon said, her gaze focused on Agumon. "You don't remember because that was part of becoming a Chosen Digimon. All of you wished to pledge your whole hearts to your children, unburdened by your former lives in the Digital World. But for you, it was very personal. You did not wish to remember what you had done - what you had tried to do - when you were a loyal soldier of Narakumon."

Agumon gawked, his mouth flagging open. "I… was _what!?_ "

"All you wanted was to go back to that little boy and his sister, and become friends with them again," Jijimon said. " _Without_ the added baggage of knowing that you had been sent to kill them."

" _What_!?" Agumon shouted as he cringed back, barely noticing that Taichi echoed him.

"When Narakumon saw Hikari, and realized who she was - or rather, _what_ she was, he felt he had to act," Jijimon said. "After what they had suffered at the hands of the human scientists, he wasn't about to let it happen again, not to Tenraimon. And so… he sent one of his servants to your world."

"You can't be serious!" Taichi blurted out, outrage surging inside of him. "There's no way Agumon would do that. Back then, Agumon became our friend! He protected us!"

The elderly Digimon paused at Taichi's words, but he kept his gaze fixed on the horrified Agumon. "Something happened during the transfer - it _was_ , after all, his first time breaching the two worlds. The journey between worlds was too harsh and you de-evolved to an egg, your orders and mind more than a little scrambled for a time."

"Which gave two little children time to reach your heart in ways that neither Narakumon nor Tenraimon had ever thought possible," Babamon said gently. She paused, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "In fact, it was that bond you three formed that inspired Tenraimon to create the Chosen Digimon, and you, of all Digimon, were more than happy to be the first to volunteer upon your return to Crystal Tower."

"Once Tenraimon found out what was happening, she sent Parrotmon to stop you," Jijimon said before he chuckled. "But by that point, it wasn't necessary at all. Suddenly the protector became the aggressor, and the assassin became your best friend. It was a big ol' mess, to say the least."

Babamon chuckled softly. "Perhaps that, plus your love for Taichi, is why a sort of… exchange occurred. One of Narakumon's servants is now bound to Light, while one of Tenraimon's chose Darkness." She turned her gaze pointedly to Piyomon who blinked repeatedly at the sudden attention.

"Huh?" Piyomon said, pointing at herself. "You mean me? I was a servant of Tenraimon?"

"Hold on," Sora said, eyes going wide as she stared at her partner in a new light. "You don't mean Piyomon used to be…"

"Yup," Jijimon chuckled. "Unlike dino boy over there, the Digimon formerly known as Parrotmon got a little more influence from being teamed up with you to take another path." He snorted. "Not much of a difference really since it's all a bunch of birds, but evolution's weird. I blame Huanglongmon for that."

Sora stared at Jijimon before she turned to her partner. "Piyomon… do you… remember any of that? Anything at all?"

Piyomon stroked the underside of her beak as she took a moment to search her mind for anything close to such an event. Eventually, she shook her head. "No. The earliest memory I have was thoughts of you and hatching on File Island." She took a moment more before giving her partner a smile. "But I know why I must've volunteered to be your partner, Sora!"

"You… do?" Sora asked, slowly.

Piyomon fanned her wings out as wide as they could go. "I probably saw how much fun Agumon was having with Taichi and Hikari and wanted to make friends too!" She moved to her partner's side and threw her wings around Sora in a hug. "I just know that I must've seen you when Tenraimon found out who you were and just _knew_ that you were the one I wanted to protect for the rest of my life, Sora!"

The Chosen of Love blinked before her expression softened, a gentle smile appearing on her face even as her cheeks tinted red. "Piyomon… thank you. I'm so happy to have you as my partner."

"I'm happy to be your partner too, Sora~!" Piyomon chirped. "You mean more to me than anything and anyone else in either worlds, and this just proves it."

Agumon was silent as he mulled over what he had heard, his lead lowered. It took him a long, uncomfortable moment before he could finally let out a low grumble from the back of his throat. "T… Taichi?"

"Yeah?" Taichi asked, his voice sounding far away from him. Everything was happening so fast; it was a struggle for him to keep up.

"Are you… mad at me?" Agumon asked, not looking up. He couldn't bear to see what expression Taichi was wearing right now. "That I tried to do something so bad to you, back then? To you and Hikari?"

The question left Taichi stunned, but only for a moment. Before he could really think about his answer, he was already on his knees, scooping Agumon up into a tight hug.

Agumon jumped slightly, startled by the sudden hug, before he moved his arms to return it. He grasped his partner tightly, trembling slightly as he pressed his head in to Taichi's chest. "Taichi…"

It took Taichi a while to answer with words, fumbling over all the things he wanted to say, as emotions tumbled in his head end over end. However, there was one thing he knew above everything else. "I don't want anyone else as my partner but you, Agumon."

Agumon felt his eyes sting with tears. "Taichi…"

Taichi eventually leaned back to meet his partner's gaze in what he hoped to be a resolute manner. "I don't get all of this. It's all…" He made a vague gesture at his side before dropping his arm with a sigh. "But, well…" He straightened his back as he steadied himself. "What's important to me is that we're friends, Agumon. We've always been friends. Even if you were supposed to be something else, you still chose to be my friend instead, no matter what anyone told you - even a god! How could I ever be mad at you for that?"

Agumon sniffled as he tightened his grip on his partner, not daring to speak.

"Besides, you gave up everything to be my partner," Taichi said, feeling a strange sense of pride and guilt intermingling in his chest. "That means there's no reason for you to feel guilty over whatever you did back then." He pressed his forehead against Agumon's and closed his eyes with a smile. "We're always going to be friends, and that's all that matters to me."

After a long moment of silence, Agumon let out a sob as he buried his face in the Chosen of Courage's chest. "Taichi…!"

Miyako watched the touching exchange with a small smile before she turned to face the elderly Digimon, her expression growing serious in an instant. "Okay, so, let me summarize what we've all just learned." The class representative lifted a finger. "One: humans somehow found the Digital World and decided to colonize it. But when they got here, they found that they could control most _but not all_ of the Digital World, so they decided to be absolute monsters and experiment on _babies_ to make little mini-computers. But before they could actually collect the results of their research, Huanglongmon killed them all and himself."

The Chosen of Passion lifted a second finger. "Two: life basically returned to normal for the Digital World until Narakumon found Hikari, and figured out what she was and what she could do to Tenraimon and the Digital World. He proceeded to freak the hell out and send a minion to kill her, but through a series of _whacky_ mishaps, his assassin befriended his targets and ended up battling against the very Digimon that had been sent to protect said children from _him_."

Miyako lifted a third finger. "Three: Tenraimon was inspired by what had happened and decided to repurpose the scientists' nasty little enslavement machines into protectors of the Digital World, and gave us all partner to do that. And thus, the Chosen Children were born."

After she was done, Miyako dropped her hand so that she could cross her arms. "Did I miss anything?"

"Please don't hate Narakumon for what he did," Babamon said, gently. "He-"

Before Babamon could finish, Miyako was already waving her hand dismissively, as if striking away the Digimon's concerns. "Narakumon had _every_ reason to be terrified of us. We were 'made' to control him and Tenraimon like puppets." She shrugged. "I'm honestly surprised Keiko ever managed to win him over when she had the power to completely control him if she ever figured out how."

"I suppose that speaks to how powerfully persuasive Keiko is," Iori said as he rubbed his chin.

"Or how soft-hearted Narakumon actually is," Tailmon said with a slight quirk of a smile. "What was the word again? Tsundere?"

"Oh, it had to be love, no doubt," Miyako responded with a nod, folding her arms back over her chest. "If it was that control programming, I'm pretty sure Tenraimon would've squashed it using her Light dominating Darkness advantage."

"Yeah, Tenraimon doesn't sound like someone who'd tolerate someone beating up on _her_ man," Kudamon said with a shake of her head.

"Mon." Noir corrected.

"So, does this mean that all our partners were Digimon who volunteered?" Yamato asked as he glanced at Gabumon before turning his attention to Jijimon. "Giving up their past lives to be our partners?"

"Yep," Jijimon said, before he hesitated. "...Mostly."

Yamato immediately noticed the hesitation. "'Mostly'?"

Jijimon paused and his expression twisted, clearly regretting his words. He then gave a small shake of his head. "Well… one individual wasn't in a position where he could make the decision one way or 'nother. So an' executive decision was made that, if he _could_ decide, he'd prefer being a Chosen partner to stickin' with… what he had." He flashed a toothy grin at the Chosen. "An' so far, he's had no complaints."

"Would he even remember if he did?" Gabumon asked as he touched his chin with his claws, concern clear on his face.

"Who knows?" Jijimon said with an exaggerated shrug. "He's always been a bit of a special snowflake, acting like rules never applied to him. For all we know, he remembers everythin'."

"You shouldn't worry about him, though," Babamon added gently. "He made it very clear that he cared for the child he was eventually partnered with."

"Maybe a bit _too_ much," Jijimon muttered as he scratched at his beard with his right hand. "But whatcha gonna do? He never did half-ass nuthin'…"

"What we're trying to say, dears," Babamon said, raising her voice. "…Is to not concern yourselves too much about what happened - to you or your Digimon. The people responsible can't do anyone any more harm, to you or the Digital World."

"Which is good, 'cuz they sure inflicted a bunch of harm while they were able," Jijimon said. "But the point is, all that's left is a pretty rotten legacy that everyone's makin' the most of."

"Lemons into lemonade," Wallace said, thoughtfully. "Very _large_ lemons."

"Or crap in to a crap cake," Noir said with a sage nod of his head as he crossed his arms. "With very _large_ crap!"

"No!" Mimi protested as she whirled to face Noir, clenching her fists. "No crap! No _poop_! We are never allowed to talk about… out _that_ ever again! Those words are banned _forever_!"

"What about excrement?" Noir asked, innocently.

"That too!" Mimi said.

"Feces?" Noir pressed.

"Also banned!" the Chosen of Purity retorted.

"Dung?" Noir asked as he tilted his head, still feigning perfect innocence on his face. "Manure? Stool? Defecation? Fecal matter? Bowel movement? Going Number Two?"

"No, no, no, no, _no_!" Mimi shouted as she shook her fists before stomping her foot. " _All_ of the words are banned!"

"Well, _shit_!" Noir said as he slapped his paw against his cheek, looking comically aghast.

" _Especially_ that one!" Mimi snapped as she pointed at Noir.

Palmon felt a sweatdrop roll down the back of her head. "M-Mimi…"

Wallace chuckled awkwardly. "Noir… please behave..."

Takeru chuckled as he watched the exchange, shaking his head wryly. He glanced over to Hikari, then paused as he saw the troubled expression on her face. His jovial mood evaporated upon seeing the way she couldn't look at anyone, her brow furrowed into tight lines as her teeth ground into her lower lip. It was painfully clear to him _exactly_ what she was thinking about. "You shouldn't worry too much about what's already happened."

Hikari jumped slightly, startled out of her gloomy thoughts, and she turned to look at Takeru. She hesitated for a moment before she let out a soft sigh as she dropped her gaze down to the ground. "It's just… the fact that Narakumon was so terrified of me that he tried to kill me on sight, and how the whole fight with Parrotmon happened because of _me_ … and… you and the others were made to be my… my…!"

Takeru smiled at Hikari and quickly spoke up before she had to say the word that clearly distressed her the most. "Whatever Narakumon and Tenraimon thought of you then, whatever those people tried to turn you into, that's long since changed. You've proven - _we've_ proven - that we're not like the people that hurt them." He leaned forward to point at Hikari, drawing her gaze back up to meet his own. "Besides, it's because of _you_ that we were all given partners. Because of you and Taichi befriending that Koromon, and showing that we _can_ co-exist and be friends… all of our lives changed for the better."

"That's right," Tailmon said as she placed her paw on Hikari's leg and gently smiled at her partner. "I will always be thankful that I got to meet you, Hikari."

"Same here," Patamon agreed as he moved to flutter in front of Hikari to meet her gaze. "I never would've met Takeru if not for what happened, so I'm really glad it did."

Hikari offered Takeru, Patamon, and Tailmon a small smile before she looked past them, her expression going distant. Between everything they had learned and what they had experienced so far, it was all the more clear why the Holy Beasts had been so leery of them. Unfortunately, Ken's actions as the Digimon Kaiser no doubt did a considerable amount of harm to any peace between them - creating 'proof' that the Chosen Children were no different than their predecessors. This knowledge made it all the more important to her that they work towards fixing the damage Ken had done, repairing both the world and their relationship with the Digimon. It would take a lot of work, but if they took it one step at a time, they would hopefully mend the rift between human and Digimon, but also between the Chosen Children themselves.

She believed that in her heart, completely.


	12. Chapter 12

The sound of rattling dishware and chatter filled the air, as Digimon of all shapes and sizes enjoyed their meal in the little diner run by Digitamamon and Vegimon. In one of the booths in the far corner, Neemon was enjoying his own meal, with empty bowls once full of ramen stacked high in front of him.

Ken sat opposite Neemon with his more modest single bowl that was still mostly full, idly picking at the long since cooled noodles as he chewed more on his current situation than his food. He still felt decidedly awkward, wearing nothing but his hospital robe, but he managed to pull it behind himself before sitting down, so no one would be able to peek at his bare flesh. While he had been concerned about getting looks for his attire, no Digimon gave him so much as a second glance the moment he walked in with Neemon. In the human world, the stares would've been relentless, but the Digimon clearly didn't care one way or another.

It was yet another difference between human and Digimon culture.

"I wonder what Daisuke would've thought of this ramen," Ken thought as he used chopsticks to guide the soft noodles to his mouth. "He'd probably think of ways to make it better, and end up upsetting the staff with his enthusiasm…"

Neemon let out a loud belch after finishing his current bowl of ramen and pat his belly. "Yummy, yummy, yummy in my tummy, tummy, tummy!"

Ken looked up before he smiled at the noodly Digimon. "You really _were_ hungry, weren't you? But then again, you really can't underestimate a Digimon's appetite..."

Neemon tilted his head. "I thought you were hungry too, but look at all that food you've still got to eat!"

Ken paused and glanced down at his bowl. "Ah, yes, I… I'm a slow eater, I suppose."

At that moment, Digitamamon appeared at the edge of the booth, his eyes conveying the smile that couldn't be seen through the crack in his egg body. "Is there anything I can get you two? Are you enjoying your meals?"

"Yup, yup!" Neemon said before he let out an obnoxious burp, then patted his stomach.

Ken chuckled awkwardly, feeling embarrassed on behalf of the oblivious Digimon, before he turned to Digitamamon. "Everything's great, thank you." After a moment, he furrowed his brow. "Ah, so about the bill… is it Digital or Earth currency this time?"

Digitamamon jerked before he shook his whole body. "O-oh, no, no, no! I could never take payment from _you_. Y-your money's no good here! Please, just enjoy your meal!" Before the Chosen of Kindness could even respond, the egg Digimon had turned and ran away as quickly as his stumpy green dinosaur legs could carry him.

Ken stared after the fleeing Digimon before he grimaced. He could only imagine the Digimon's reaction was due to his past as the Digimon Kaiser, as he had enslaved the Digimon on at least one occasion with his evil ring.

"Wooow," Neemon said as he watched the Digimon run, then turned to Ken. "You're soooo important if even Digitamamon won't take your money!"

Ken struggled to keep his smile, glancing to Neemon. "I… suppose you could say that."

"So, hey, hey," Neemon tilted his head. "What do you last remember?"

"Huh?" Ken paused at that and turned to focus his full attention on the Digimon. "What do you mean?"

"Do you live in hospitals now?" Neemon asked, tilting his head even more, his neck bending in ways that seemed unnatural for any individual with bones in their body.

"Oh, um, no, I don't," Ken said with a shake of his head. "I'm really not sure how I got there. The last thing I remember is being at a picnic with my friends." He paused for a moment. "And being much, much older."

"Huuuhhh?" Neemon blinked, without ever opening his eyes.

"I might not look it, but I'm actually a grown man with a family," Ken said as he leaned back, placing his hand over his chest. "It's been _years_ since I've looked like this…"

"Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh?" Neemon repeated, his eyebrows shooting straight up.

Ken faltered before he chuckled awkwardly, as the Digimon's confusion was understandable. "I-I can see why it'd be confusing. I'm just as confused, as this really shouldn't be possible." It took him a few moments of struggling to sort out his thoughts before he finally straightened up. "I guess I'll… start from the beginning."

The Chosen of Kindness took a deep breath before letting it out, closing his eyes. He then proceeded to explain, starting from his adventures as the Digimon Kaiser and his inevitable defeat when the Chosen Children destroyed Chimeramon to the later adventures once Mummymon and Archnemon came out of the woodwork to do Oikawa's bidding on behalf of Belial Vamdemon.

By the time Ken had finished he felt spent, drained, as though he had been through a confessional. However, he was only given a few moments to process the adventure he relived before Neemon started clapping wildly.

"Good story!" Neemon chirped. "I really liked the part where Lord Belial Vamdemon made magical dreamy lands where you could get whatever you wanted. I wanna go there too!"

Ken blinked before he rubbed the back of his head. He admittedly hadn't planned on talking so much about what happened, but something about Neemon made him feel compelled to spill his guts. However, in the end, he doubted the Digimon understood _any_ of it. "Ah, well… it wasn't nearly as fun as you might think." Especially given that, in _his_ dream world, he had seen his worst nightmare and deepish wish come alive - in the form of the Digimon killing him in his Digimon Kaiser self.

Repeatedly.

"A-anyway," Ken said as he straightened up. "That's all I remember… and now I find myself like this." He gestured to his childish body with his hands.

"Yeah," Neemon said with a nod that almost seemed sage. "Lord Belial Vamdemon doesn't do happy fun dreamy lands anymore, only awful ones where all your friends hate you and want to do bad things to you and make you wake up in the hospital. It's so bad!"

Ken paused at that, blinking slowly. "What?"

"But I like this dreamy land; it has free food too," Neemon said as he patted his belly. "So maybe Lord Belial Vamdemon likes you and is going to turn it from a nightmare land to a happy place full of food and pillows!" He threw his wobbly arms out to his sides. "Oooh! Imagine up a mountain of pudding! We could eat and eat and eat, and then sleep on a big wobbly bed!"

Ken stared at Neemon in silence for several moments before realization - and horror - dawned on his face. "... _Of course_. Belial Vamdemon. This is just another one of his dream worlds." It explained everything - not just the fact that he was a child but what happened at the picnic as well. Belial Vamdemon must have attacked him at the picnic and kidnapped him, though that begged the question of how and _why_.

Then again, he knew better than anyone that Digimon never truly died, they were just reborn. And that would have included Belial Vamdemon.

"Hey, hey, are you imagining?" Neemon asked. "I'll imagine too!" He scrunched up and began to quake, his expression contorted as though he was struggling with something quite difficult internally.

Ken blinked slowly as he stared at Neemon, then furrowed his brow. He thought back to how the Digimon seemed to know who he was right from the start, even though the boy genius had no clue who the Digimon was. After a moment, the Chosen of Kindness decided to press forward. "Neemon, how _did_ you know my name?"

The question caused Neemon's shaking to stop and his head flopped to the side as any sign of concentration disappeared under a wave of befuddlement. "Huuuh? Because Lord Belial Vamdemon talked a lot about capturing you, of course."

Ken's eyes widened as he outright gawked at Neemon, jerking straight up. "What!?"

A small quiver ran through Neemon's body as his ears drooped and he brought his slim arms up to futilely protect his scarred belly. "Lord Belial Vamdemon is so maaaaad at you Chosen Children for killing him. He uses his whip on us a lot and a lot, especially if we make a mistake." He paused for a moment to cringe and whimpered quietly. "I make loooooootssss of mistakes."

Ken flinched. He felt a renewed sense of sympathy for the battered Digimon, which quickly took the edge off the alarm he had felt at the revelation that Neemon worked for his greatest enemy. It made him think of Tailmon, and the scars _she_ had thanks to the sadistic Digimon. "I… I'm sorry. It must have been awful for you."

Neemon shakily nodded before letting out a keening wail as sweat began to bead on his face. "Lord Belial Vamdemon is going to be so, so, so, _so_ mad at me for tripping into the dreamy place he made for you if he finds out. Please don't tell him, please, please, please, pleeeeaaaassssseeeeee?" He clasped his hands together and leaned forward, opening his eyes to reveal two pools of black shimmering with barely restrained tears.

"I-I won't," Ken said as he felt his heart go out to Neemon. The Digimon's suffering filled him with anger, one that solidified his resolve. "We'll both escape, and I promise I won't tell him - and I won't let him hurt you again, either."

Neemon instantly brightened, a huge smile stretching from ear to ear as he threw his floppy arms into the air like streamers. "Yay! You're the best, Ken. I can see why Lord Belial Vamdemon wants to break you; you're so kind!"

Ken felt a twinge of fear at the thought, but he quickly shoved it aside. He wasn't about to be intimidated by the _threat_ of what the evil Digimon wanted to do to him. He had been through enough, far too much to be afraid of an oversized bully. "Well, he can want all he likes, it's not going to happen. I've escaped his dream worlds before, and I can do it again."

"Yay!" Neemon cheered. "And all you have to do to get out of this nightmare world and back home to your real family and friends is kill all of the fake Chosen Children. You can do it, Ken!"

Ken gave a start as he stared at Neemon, aghast. "W… what!?"

"Lord Belial Vamdemon said that killing all the Chosen Children will break you for good," Neemon said with a smile that was far too cheerful for the conversation. "That's why he made sure that none of them could get inside and get you out like Daisuke did last time and that the only way for you to get out is to kill all the fakes and make you think it was real."

Ken felt his blood run cold as he gaped at the Digimon, before his resolve hardened into steel. "No. Absolutely not. I'm not going to play by his rules. He might _think_ he has everything figured out, but I'm not going to fall for his manipulations this time." Even if they were fakes carrying the faces of his friends, the thought of inflicting harm on them was too much for him to bear - which was no doubt Belial Vamdemon's intention. The vile Digimon was always interested in inflicting the most damage, and while physical wounds could heal, mental ones were far more lasting.

Ken wasn't about to torture himself for Belial Vamdemon's amusement.

"I'm sure there's a way to get out of here myself," Ken said more firmly. "I'll… just have to find it. I… I can do this."

"Really?" Neemon asked, his voice full of wonder. "Are you going to become a genius again using the Dark Seed and figure out another way out? That'd be neat!"

Ken hesitated at that, as the thought sent a different kind of chill through his body. He gave a small shake of his head to dispel it. "I'm… I'm sure the others are already on the case, trying to rescue me… but I'm not going to sit around and wait for that to happen. I'll… do some investigating on my _own_. Even if Daisuke can't come in, he proved this world can be influenced. I just need to… influence it."

"Ohhhhh," Neemon said slowly before his excitement returned. "So I can imagine up pudding mountain if I really, really, really wanted to after all?"

"I… don't see why not," Ken said, before he looked up at the ceiling. "Though for now, I'd just be happy with my Digivice… and Wormmon." He understood now why he didn't have either - Belial Vamdemon would certainly make sure the Chosen of Kindness had as little to work with as possible.

"Lord Belial Vamdemon has them both," Neemon said. "And your crest too. He said he's got big plans for them, but when I asked what he just whipped me and called me too stupid to be any use for anything but to lick the scum off his boots." His ears drooped as his smile disappeared. "He says that a lot."

Ken grimaced before he reached up his right hand to grasp at the front of his shirt, digging his fingers into the fabric. He could only imagine the kind of suffering the vampire Digimon was inflicting on Wormmon. It made him all the more determined to escape - and to rescue his partner. "He really did think of everything, didn't he?"

"Yep, he's spent _yeaaaars_ planning this!" Neemon said, with a nod. "And the 'best' part, he said, is that it's not even going to be _his_ doing that does you in… it'll be aaaall you!"

Ken paused at that. "What?"

"See, see, see, all he does is give your dreams life, which is still really, really cool!" Neemon said, surprisingly excited. He then paused before his entire body drooped. "But once he's done that, he actually can't do anything else. Your mind does all the rest!"

Ken blinked slowly, then furrowed his brow. "Is… _that_ why he's not just coming after me himself?"

"Yep, yep, yep!" Neemon chirped as he wiggled his arms at his sides. "Now, he'd be in big trouble if you got stuck in a _happy_ dream, but he said he didn't have to worry about that _at all_!"

"Why is that?" Ken asked, uncertain if he wanted to hear the answer.

Neemon positively beamed. "Because he said you're so screwed up, he didn't have to! You'd mentally torture yourself with or _without_ his input, so he knew it'd just be a matter of time! He said you have such a _martyr complex_ that you'll use your friends and family to do the dirty work for him! Everyone hates you because _you_ hate you, and that's so much better than just doing it himself!" He then paused before he tilted his head, his enthusiasm instantly disappearing into a blank mask of confusion. "What's a martyr complex?"

Ken felt a surge of irritation at the implication. "I do _not_ have a _martyr complex_ and I am not going to just _torture myself_ …" He couldn't finish the sentence as visions of his previous dream world filled his mind, of him tied to a pole as Digimon attacked him over and over. All the while, he just took it, offering no resistance.

Other people's dream worlds had been their deepest wishes, with Takeru having his family whole again, Miyako being an only child, and even Iori having his father alive. _Ken's_ deepish wish was a slow, torturous death.

Ken grimaced, clenching his jaw tight. "D-damn it…"

"It's fine, it's fine!" Neemon said, cheerfully. "All you have to do is channel that _Digimon Kaiser_ stuff, right? It all came _so easy_ when you thought we weren't real even though we _obviously_ were, so you can do it again now that you know it's definitely _not_!"

Ken felt as if Neemon had innocently stabbed little daggers into his heart, forcing him to take a deep breath through his teeth. "No. There has to be another way." Even if it seemed like the most logical thing to do what Belial Vamdemon wanted, he knew the damage to his psyche would be irreparable - that was the entire _point_. If it was his own mind that was keeping him trapped, it was _his_ mind he was destroying by breaking out. He needed to escape _without_ damaging himself in the process.

"That sick bastard…" Ken growled as he leaned back in his chair, completely losing his appetite.

Ken wasn't sure what he had done specifically to earn Belial Vamdemon's ire, or if it was specifically the dark seed he carried in his body that the Digimon was after. Either way, Ken wasn't about to let himself be beaten this time. He couldn't wait for Daisuke to rescue him, even though he _knew_ that his jogress partner was more than likely already working on doing just that. He didn't have time to waste.

"If this is a dream world, _my_ dream world, then I should be able to influence it," Ken muttered. Daisuke had done it with great ease, so the Chosen of Kindness knew it was possible. He just needed to try and clear his mind, and assert his will over that of the dream itself. While he lacked Daisuke's aimless wishes and desires, he wanted to believe that he had the willpower to make up for it.

The Chosen of Kindness closed his eyes as he cleared his breathing, instead focusing his thoughts on the real world - on _home_. If he could transport himself between the worlds without his Digivice, it'd be a big first step in his freedom.

"Focus," Ken murmured softly, more to himself than Neemon. "Focus…"

The boy genius cleared his thoughts of anything but the human world. He thought of his parents, his family and friends. He thought of his school, his home, and anything else that he thought might give him the strength he needed to take control. He thought of the people who mattered to him, the people he _loved_. He imagined his Digivice, tainted black, and visualized it beginning to activate - the screen emitting a bright light that often gated him to and from the Digital World.

As he focused his thoughts, Ken felt something strange within his chest - warm and intense. With his eyes closed, Ken wasn't able to see the pink light that spilled forth in the shape of the crest of Kindness.

Neemon tilted his head and stared as the pink light spread across the boy, engulfing him in an aura. The noodle Digimon watched Ken become completely covered by the light, which continued to spill out along the booth and into the walkway. Neemon didn't even blink when the light intensified, before Ken disappeared within it entirely - as if he were dissolving into the light itself.

Only when the light disappeared, and Ken along with it, did Neemon finally blink. He was silent for a moment before he began to giggle. The giggle quickly became a chuckle before it transformed into a full-blown cackle. The noodly Digimon tilted his head back as he howled with laughter. It wasn't a friendly sound by any means, far more twisted in nature. It was enough to make the other Digimon finally stop to stare with no small amount of unease as Neemon laughed long and hard with complete abandonment.

No one dared say anything or even move as the horrifying sound reverberated through the diner long after Ken had left.

* * *

After everything that had happened during the course of the day, it pretty much guaranteed that Daisuke would not be able to easily fall asleep that night. Not that he had experienced a good night's sleep in weeks, but that was beside the point. There was just so much going through his head - from torture and murder to microwaving babies - that processing it all was taking a lot of time. It made him wish things were simple again, when being a Chosen Child meant being a hero and that was all there was to it.

But things were never simple, not really. He simply convinced himself that it was, and look where that brought him.

This was why Daisuke found himself lying on his bed, a dozing Chibimon curled up on the pillow by his head, as he held Ken's Digivice above him. Even in the dim light leaking in through the curtains, he could see it was still in its corrupted colors of gray, the same as always. As he traced the contoured edges, he wondered if there was some way to fix it, or it was stuck like that forever - just like how Ken went back to being the Digimon Kaiser.

Just like how their relationship had been destroyed forever.

Daisuke squeezed his eyes shut and drew an arm across his face with a quiet groan. "I'm such an idiot…"

Despite all the horrible things they had learned, Daisuke's thoughts always returned to Ken. It didn't matter how he blinded himself to his own cruelty; even damning the Digimon Kaiser meant his thoughts fixated on Ken, wondering what the other boy was doing, thinking at that moment.

Did Ken know about what the scientists did too?

Just the thought sent a pang of guilt twisting through Daisuke's heart. How much weight had there been crushing Ken's soul all this time with no one to share the burden? Thanks to the Dark Seed and the Dark Ocean, Ken couldn't even be safe inside his own mind.

Daisuke's empty hand slid limply to his side as he fixated on the Digivice's darkened screen as he held it above him, wishing it was Ken in front of him instead. He wished he could see Ken again. He wished he could apologize. He wished he never failed their friendship so spectacularly. He wished, even now, that he could be sure just how much of that friendship was ever really real in the first place.

Most of all, he wished they could start over again.

As if in response to Daisuke's thoughts, the screen on the Dark Digivice began to glow a gentle pink. It was faint at first before it steadily grew in intensity. Daisuke barely had an opportunity to blink, his brain acknowledging that he was seeing something _strange_ , before the pink turned to a blinding light of a Digital Gate.

A startled cry pierced the air as Ken appeared from the Digital Gate only to tumble downwards, landing rather solidly on Daisuke's lap so that he was straddling him. His hospital robe was in complete disarray around him, but it at least covered what it needed to as the Chosen of Kindness disorientedly tried to gather his bearings.

At first, Daisuke could only stare, his mouth hanging slack as he stared at the half naked boy sprawled on top of him, his body rigid with shock. Seconds ticked by as his mind seemed to reboot itself, slowly forming some sense out of the chaos swirling inside his brain, fixating entirely on one important thing. "K… Ken?!"

"E-eh?" Ken looked up and froze when his eyes locked with Daisuke's. "D… D-Daisuke!?"

Chibimon was quickly roused from the shouting, flailingly rolling off his back on to his feet before he crouched and looked for the threat through sleep-filled eyes. However, his focus quickly fell on the 'intruder' and he stopped short. "K-Ken Ichijouji!?"

"Wha… what're you doing he…," Daisuke began, before a spike of adrenaline shot through him and he sat up, drawing closer as he instinctively seized Ken by the wrists, dropping the Dark Digivice in the process. "Wait, this is my chance to tell you I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for what I did to you and Wormmon, Ken! Really, really, _really_ sorry!"

Ken squeaked as he was suddenly grabbed, his hands instinctively curling backwards as he found himself being held tightly. The abruptness left him frozen in confusion.

The lack of response only made Daisuke panic more and lean in even closer until their noses nearly touched. "I'm sorry! I really am! I'm so sorry I can't even tell you just how sorry I am! I was a total asshole to you two, and I know I don't deserve forgiveness for what I did, and I know I ruined everything, but please believe me. I'm so sorry and wish I never did any of it."

Ken's eyes widened at the sudden closeness, which was strangely more than a little distracting from the words Daisuke was speaking - which didn't help, considering his complete inability to understand what the other boy was talking about. As heat flooded his face for a moment, the Chosen of Kindness struggled to find his voice. "I… um. I'm not really sure what you're… talking about, but…"

Daisuke felt his heart give a painful squeeze. He shifted his hold on Ken so that he held the other boy's hands clasped firmly in his own, his eyes pleading. "L-look, I know you probably never want anything to do with me ever again after what I did to you, but I'll do anything to make it up to you. _Anything!_ Just tell me what you want me to do. I'll do whatever it takes for you to believe just how sorry I am."

Ken outright gaped at Daisuke. Even as he struggled to understand what was being said, he was drawing a complete and total blank. The words Daisuke spoke may as well have been in a foreign language, for all the good they did him. He couldn't remember any recent fights he had with Daisuke, certainly not enough that his dream world would be inspired to have Daisuke apologize so intensely for them.

"D-Daisuke, listen," Ken said, slowly choosing his words. "I really don't understand what you're talking about, but… surely-"

" _Please_!" Daisuke said, his voice cracking with desperation. "I… I know I messed up. Bad. I really do. I know I don't deserve it, but I… I just…" His voice gave out on him and he found himself unable to look Ken in the eye. He focused on his trembling hands as they held on so desperately to Ken's. Finally, he voiced out a tiny, pitiful whisper. "I just want my best friend back."

Ken felt his heart clench as he stared at Daisuke. Even if he didn't understand what the other boy was saying, his pain was undeniable. The very idea that he was the cause of it, after everything they had been through, made him feel he truly was a horrible person. He wanted nothing more than to take that pain away, to make it stop - false world or not. "Daisuke…"

"Daisuke, Daisuke," Chibimon whispered as he grabbed his partner's arm, tugging urgently. While his partner was obviously having an important moment, a simple fact was getting increasingly difficult to ignore. "Daisuke!"

There was nothing else Daisuke could say. Any further words seemed wholly inadequate, hopeless. If Ken was going so far as to feign ignorance of all the terrible things that happened between them, then it was clear that he wished not to let anything tie the two of them together, not even hatred. Even still, Daisuke waited to hear it, needed to hear it from Ken himself.

"Daisuke," Chibimon repeated with a hiss as he urgently yanked on his partner's sleeve. "Why is Ken naked?"

The question was like a splash of ice water to the face, and Daisuke finally looked at Chibimon blankly. "Huh?"

"He's naked!" Chibimon said as he pointed at Ken, who was immediately startled out of his self-destructive thoughts and stared down at the small Digimon, the light pink turning solid red. "He's naked, isn't he!? Ken's naked! Why is he naked!?"

Mechanically, Daisuke turned back to Ken, this time looking beyond the other boy's face, his eyes traveling down until they reached where Ken's hospital robe ended - right in his lap. The realization that Ken Ichijouji, boy genius, teen idol and local celebrity, the conqueror of the Digital World, the infamous and powerful Digimon Kaiser, had somehow forgotten what _pants_ were before literally dropping in on him left Daisuke frozen.

Ken felt a shiver run up his spine as the blush spread down his neck before he quickly jerked his hands back to grasp at the robe, pulling it tightly around his body. "I-I can explain! I-!" He immediately paused before he shook his head. "I _can't_ explain! I can't explain _at all_!"

The sudden motion got Daisuke moving too, jerking back so sharply he banged his head against the headboard with a yelp. He scarcely noticed the pain or the stars that danced in his eyes as he outright gawked at Ken, his face steadily darkening until it transitioned from a delicate pink to a rampant shade of red that seemed to cover him from head to toe.

Ken's own blush spread at the sight of Daisuke's, and he was left at a complete and total loss. He simply stared back at Daisuke as he held the hospital gown tightly, his hands trembling ever so slightly.

The two boys sat in an embarrassed deadlock, their eyes unable to meet, but focused instead on the other's mortified blush. The moment stretched on far past the point of either of their comfort before a sudden banging on the door caused both of them to jump with a new source of dread.

"Daisuke, open up!" Jun shouted. "Mom and Dad know you have someone naked in there! We all heard you two talking!"

Daisuke wanted the earth to swallow him up right there. He stammered, trying to come up with something to say, to muster up more anger towards Jun trying to get him in trouble so that he could argue his way out of the situation, but his mortification was too much to bear.

Ken was quicker to recover. He scrambled off of the bed, immediately putting distance between himself and Daisuke, nearly falling to the floor in his haste. He barely managed to catch himself by grabbing a nearby chair. "I-it's not what you think!"

Daisuke instinctively began to move when Ken nearly fell, but stopped at the edge of his bed when the other boy recovered. Unfortunately, such vigorous movements made the hospital gown flutter open now that Ken was no longer focusing on holding it shut. The heat slammed into Daisuke's face in full force when he noticed he could see Ken's backside in its entirety, and he quickly turned away to stare at the wall instead.

For a moment, there was silence. Then some unintelligible murmuring from outside the room before Jun raised her voice once again. "Is that a _guy_!?"

Ken paused at that before his eyebrows shot straight up, realization dawning on him. He had, in fact, just made things a whole lot worse. "Ah."

"Sh-shut up, it's nothing!" Daisuke shouted, trying to hide behind his anger, but the way his voice shook and occasionally cracked high made his guilt plain to hear, even for him. He winced, scrambling for some sort of cover story. "I… I-I'm on the phone! On speaker! That's all! Go away!"

"Seriously?" Jun asked, and Daisuke could practically _see_ the deadpan look she was boring into him through the door. "You expect us to believe that lame excuse? You don't even _have_ a phone in your room!"

A masculine voice cleared his throat. "Daisuke," his father Daichi said, slow and obviously hesitant. "Open the door now, son."

A fresh wave of panic hit as Daisuke stared at Ken then leapt from the bed, frantically thinking of some hiding place his family couldn't find. Unfortunately, the only thing that his panicked mind could come up with was to ransack his drawers for pants and underwear, which he haphazardly threw at Ken. "Hide!" he hissed as loudly as he dared.

Ken quickly accepted the clothes before he dashed into the closet, closing it as quickly - and _quietly_ \- as he could before he focused on putting the clothes on. While they weren't a perfect fit, it was better than everyone seeing his bare bottom.

Daisuke inwardly groaned at such an obvious hiding place, but he knew there was nowhere else for Ken to go. Under his bed was barely enough room for Chibimon to squeeze into. He held his head with a sigh once his partner hid as well, then, as another round of knocking came from the door, he marched to his doom.

Jun was inside Daisuke's room the instant he turned the lock, nearly banging him in the face with the door. "About time!"

"Hey, watch it!" Daisuke shouted as he scrambled back a few steps. "Get out of my room, Jun! Only Mom and Dad are allowed in he-"

Jun cut Daisuke off with a shoulder knock to his head as she barreled past him straight towards his closet. "Who's naked in here?"

Heart leaping in his throat, Daisuke grabbed Jun by the arm, yanking her back just before she could touch the closet door. "No one! No one's naked in here! Stop trying to perv on naked guys already and get the hell outta my room!"

"Ew!" Jun wailed as she slapped Daisuke's cheek, freeing herself from his grip and sending her brother staggering back a few steps. "You're such a pervert, Daisuke! Why would I want to see _anything_ naked in _your_ room!?"

Junko stepped into the room with her husband, her brow furrowing with concern. "No fighting, you two." She then focused her disappointed gaze at her son. "Daisuke, please, just be honest with us."

Daisuke flinched, but said nothing as he held his cheek and hopelessly tried to keep himself between his family and the closet.

Ken felt his heart lurch as the voices drew closer, but he did his best to keep completely still. He was trapped with nowhere else to go, so his only hope was that Daisuke managed to keep them from checking the closet - however faint that hope was.

Chibimon growled lowly from his position under the bed, watching the exchange through dangerous eyes. The slap had almost sent him charging from his hiding place, but he somehow managed to find the self-restraint to hold himself back. For now.

Jun was going to _pay_.

The feeling of eyes boring through her made Jun pause, her hand centimeters from the closet door, before she looked around the room with a suspicious air. She glanced around, but only found Daisuke glaring back at her right before he seized her by the wrist. With a snort of disgust, she used her elbow to knock him back again before lunging for the closet.

Hearing the closet door knob turn set off a surge of panic within Ken, activating his fight or flight instincts. Unfortunately, those instincts resulted in him lunging forward to push the opening door forward, causing it to swing open with a bang - right into Jun's face.

Ken paused as he realized what he had done, eyes wide as he watched Jun stumble back with a cry and cover her face. His eyes glanced up to settle on the shocked faces of Daichi and Junko, who turned to stare right back at him. The Chosen of Kindness felt a chill up his spine before he suddenly bolted past them, right through the open door leading out of Daisuke's room. "P-please excuse me!"

Watching Ken flee snapped Daisuke out of his shock with a surge of panic. "Ken, _wait!_ " the goggle boy shouted as he immediately gave chase. He ignored his parents calling out for him to stop as he raced past them. He couldn't lose the chance to make things right with Ken, not again.

Ken didn't wait, however. Fueled by panic and mortification, he was down the hallway and out the front door within moments. His legs moved quickly, carrying him down the hallway of the apartment complex to the nearest stairwell. He just wanted to get _away_ , _far_ away.

The cold winter night bit at Daisuke's skin with icy fangs through his thin t-shirt and shorts as he ran through the outside hallway. Each step was a chilling pain on his bare soles, but he refused to stop, desperately trying to catch up with Ken before the other boy was gone from his sight. His shouts echoed through the apartment complex, but he didn't care who he heard as long as his voice somehow reached Ken.

Unfortunately, by the time Daisuke got to the base floor of his apartment complex, Ken was long gone. The boy genius had disappeared into the night, leaving the Chosen of Tenacity with no hint of a clue as to which way Ken had fled. He looked around for any sign, his panting breath leaving clouds around him as he turned this way and that, but there was nothing, just empty streets and the cold.

Ken was gone.

The realization of his failure hit Daisuke deep inside, leaving him helpless to do anything but scream out his frustration into the cold winter night.

* * *

It was a long, cold, and miserable trip back through the streets of Japan back to Ken's apartment complex. It would've been even worse if he hadn't found change in Daisuke's loaned pants so that he could take the train back to his district, but the stares he received from other passengers more than made up for the suffering with plenty of awkwardness to go around.

It was beyond late by the time Ken trudged up to the front steps of his home, his body beyond tired and begging for a reprieve. For a dream world, it was exceedingly brutal - but considering who had made the world, that was no surprise.

Ken hesitated at the fringes of the apartment complex for only a moment so that he could root around in the small decorative garden to find his desired object - a small false rock which hid a spare key underneath, chilled by the December night air. It was completely cliche, foolish even, and he had given his parents considerable grief over such an obvious 'hiding place' in a communal space for something so important back when he was still a deranged child. However, at that moment, he felt nothing but relief and gratitude for it.

The key had warmed in Ken's hand by the time he reached the door to his apartment, which allowed him to unlock the door easily and quietly so that he could slip inside unnoticed. While he could've knocked to alert his parents, they were the _last_ people he wanted to see at the moment. They would want explanations that he couldn't give, and he was just too tired to deal with it. Besides, the whole possibility of this being a 'dream world' added a layer of stress that he just wasn't in the mood to deal with at that moment.

Tentatively, Ken opened the door and peered out into the darkened hallway. "Mom?" he whispered cautiously. "Dad?"

Silence was the only thing that greeted Ken, along with the faint sound of Christmas music. It should have been a relief that no one answered him, which meant he could avoid whatever this dream world had in store for his parents, but it just served to put him further on edge. He crept quietly inside, not bothering to lock the door behind him in case he had to make a mad dash for the exit.

As expected, his parents' room was closed, and pressing his ear to the door allowed Ken to catch the familiar muffled sound of his father's snoring. If the time displayed on the oven clock was accurate, it was 3:00 am in the morning - his father had work in the morning, and his mother would never stay up so late.

"Good," Ken thought with a sigh before he took the time to better look at his surroundings. Everything was much the same as he remembered it, down to the familiar scents of his childhood home that washed a wave of nostalgia through him. A cursitory exploration brought his attention back to the Christmas music he heard. At first, he had assumed it was from outside, perhaps some store open all night hoping to draw in more customers with the reminder that Christmas was coming. However, he quickly realized that the sound was coming from his living room, specifically a CD player one of his parents must have forgotten to shut off.

All too quickly, Ken found himself distracted by the large Christmas tree set up in the corner. Despite the fact that it was clearly not plugged in at the moment, it was still bright and colorful, save for one, glaring detail. At the base of the tree was an ominous altar lined with black curtains that had been tied open with photographs placed underneath. When Ken recognized it, he immediately focused on Osamu's smiling face and the familiar pain that pierced his heart, but all too quickly he found himself distracted by _his_ photograph sitting right beside his brother's.

It was the most bizarre mixture of Christmas cheer and funeral dour that the Chosen of Kindness had ever seen, and it left him gawking in disbelief at the sheer morbidity of it. The fact that _he_ had been enshrined as well disturbed him on a deep, personal level with its ominous implications.

Ken gave one blink, then another, before he quickly retreated from the scene. He hurried towards his bedroom as quickly as he could while still keeping his footsteps silent. He didn't dare wake his parents, not after seeing something like _that_. "What… what the hell was that…?"

Ken retreated to his room on instinct, grateful that it was the same as it ever was despite whatever the shrine might have been implying. He didn't hesitate to lock the door behind him, including the deadbolt he didn't remember having before, before he slumped against the door and slid down to the floor with a quiet thump.

For a moment, all he could do was breathe and bury his face in his hands.

"I don't even want to know what that was supposed to mean," Ken muttered before flinching at the sound of his voice. He tensed for a moment, but it seemed no one had heard him, much to his relief, and he gave a small shake of his head before straightening up. "Well, there's not much point to dwell on it," he thought, trying to remind himself that he was a detective and he needed to act like it. After steadying himself, he scanned the room with a scrutinizing eye. He was amazed to see how accurate his room was, down to even the tiniest detail. He was fairly certain Belalial Vamdemon didn't know much of anything about him beyond what Oikawa knew. However, if this reality was drawing directly from his mind, Belial Vamdemon didn't _need_ any prior knowledge to make it happen – Ken would do that for him.

"This can work to my advantage," Ken thought as he stood up, dusting himself off. It had already worked before, with him gating himself in to the real world _without_ his Digivice. It was proof enough that he could control this dream world if he focused hard enough. But first things first, he needed to find a change of clothes - and anything that might help him.

Ken quickly found his clothes, which were precisely where he expected them to be in this strange world of his mind, and, to no surprise, they fit him perfectly. With the hospital robe now discarded, and Daisuke's borrowed clothes folded and placed on the top of the dresser, Ken gave the room another glance before he turned to the computer desk. He reached to pull open the drawer. "Let's see…"

Ken was immediately greeted by the sight of various personal belongings and loose change, but he was more interested in the sight of his wallet. Reaching in, he flipped open the wallet to find not only his personal ID but various credit cards – all in his name.

"Dream currency," Ken thought, with a wry grin and a chuckle, before he slipped the wallet into his pants pocket. "Even if it's not real, I imagine this world will still expect me to pay for everything." While he might be able to get by through manipulating the dream like he had with gating, it was better not to push his luck on minor things. He would need his will for the _more important_ fights.

The faint mirth he felt at the discovery of the credit cards evaporated when he made a far more unexpected discovery - _taser_. It took Ken a long moment of staring at the little black device before he accepted that he had a _weapon_ in his room; a weapon meant to stun rather than deal lasting injury, but a weapon nevertheless. It was a little bit longer still before he could gather up the nerve to actually pick the taser up to get a closer look at it. "When… _where_ did I get _this_?"

Ken looked the device over, turning his hand about to give him a view of every side. His eyes eventually settled on the button that activated it and gave it a tentative push as he braced himself. It was something of an anticlimax when absolutely nothing happened; no crackle of electricity, no spark, nothing. Blinking, he eventually released the button after he was certain nothing more would happen, staring down at the unresponsive device.

"The batteries must be dead," Ken murmured, with a frown, before he glanced to one of the electrical sockets on the wall. "…But why do I…"

The answer hit him with a sickening twist to his stomach - this was a 'gift' from Belial Vamdemon. If what Neemon said was true, the vampire Digimon's intention was for him to ki… _harm_ his friends, and for them to harm him in return. It only made sense that the vampire would ensure he had access to weapons to ensure that end.

"He's such a sick bastard," Ken grumbled before he paused again. "Though, tasers are actually _non-lethal_ , aren't they? They're used so that you _don't_ have to harm someone."

That thought immediately put a completely different spin on the small device in his hand. It increased the possibility that it wasn't a gift from Belial Vamdemon, but from _himself_. He had given himself a safer alternative of stopping those he cared about most _without_ killing them.

Relief washed over Ken, and he found himself oddly grateful to, well, _himself._ It meant that perhaps there _was_ hope for him, that he _had_ recovered from his self-destructive spiral - he was healing and didn't, at least on a small level, want to torment himself. Flushed with a newfound sense of optimism, he plugged the taser into the wall to charge. With that worry out of the way for now, he turned to face whatever surprises were waiting for him on his computer.

The computer took its time booting up. The way time dragged on was unbearable for Ken, leaving him pacing until the desktop screen finally appeared. In a flash he was seated and checking the digital calendar, confirming the time period implied by his surroundings.

It was December 1st, 2002.

Ken stared at the calendar for a long time, barely noticing how the clock ticked along to half past three in the morning. Finally, he straightened up, pulling himself together. "Well, this… at least gives me a timeframe for where I'm supposed to be."

News websites collaborated the date to be the same as the one stated on the computer's clock. He didn't recognize any of news headlines, but supposed that detail was inconsequential when compared to the possibilities looming before him - either he was trapped in a dream world modeled after his childhood, like Neemon had said, or he had somehow gone back in time.

Ken closed his eyes. "And since I don't know of any Digimon that can control _time_ …"

The thoughts tumbled from his mind from a strange sensation at the back of his head. Furrowing his brow, he chased the sensation, as it felt like he was missing some sort of important detail, but whatever it was slipped between his fingers. After a few moments of futile struggle, he let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. "Well, it means that this _has_ to be a dream world."

This was a _well-made_ dream world at that. Everything felt real, so real that it felt _natural_ \- like nothing was amiss at all. If not for his memories conflicting with his surroundings, he would've genuinely believed he was in the real world.

This just proved to him how terrifyingly powerful Belial Vamdemon's powers really were.

Ken idly rubbed his arms to rid himself of the goosebumps he felt there. "Anyway, there's no point in dwelling on that," he murmured, trying to reassure himself. "I need to focus on escaping, and figuring out _how_ to escape."

If the date was any indication, it was _after_ his stint as the Digimon Kaiser and _before_ the supposedly final fight with Belial Vamdemon. Why the wicked Digimon - or Ken's mind - had chosen such a date instead of anything _prior_ , such as when he was still at odds with the other Chosen Children, he had no idea. It made far more sense to put him in the more horrible time period, the one Ken regretted the most.

"None of this… makes sense," Ken sighed as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. Everything was so overwhelming, thoughts swimming in his mind, and leaving him flustered and disoriented. Even worse, his muscles were beginning to ache, joining his head in protest of his current situation. His exhausted body had grown impatient, tired of being ignored. It made thinking that much more difficult, which only heightened his frustration.

After a moment, the boy genius turned to the bed in the room, which had been set up over the doorway leading out to the balcony, with a small ladder off to the side to allow access and a little wooden railing to prevent the occupant from falling to the floor. As Ken stared at his childhood bed, it offered him a soft invitation that made the ache in his body all the more obvious.

After a brief hesitation, Ken climbed the ladder up to the bed, finding it neatly made and yet smelling somewhat dusty. Not caring about the smell, he let out a sigh before he flopped down on the bed, feeling it creak beneath his weight. It had been a long time since he was the right size for it.

"I really shouldn't," Ken muttered, even as he found his eyes closing in spite of his words. "I really…" It seemed like a domino effect. Once his eyes had closed, the rest of his body quickly followed suit, all too eager to give in to the bed's temptations as exhaustion flooded through his body all at once as if a dam had finally burst.

Within moments, consciousness slipped away, and with it the Chosen of Kindness.

* * *

The bright flash of the Digital gate disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared, giving its users little time to react before the foyer of the Crystal Tower appeared around them as if out of thin air. Monodramon blinked repeatedly, startled by the sight, before he looked about to observe their crystalline surroundings. The morning light drifted in through the windows, causing their surroundings to dazzle like diamonds. However, just as before, there was no one there to enjoy the scenery - no one save him and Ryo.

"O-oh," Monodramon murmured. "It's... here again. The Crystal Tower."

"Er, yeah," Ryo said as he glanced at the small dragon Digimon. "Is something wrong?"

"H-h-huh?" Monodramon squeaked as he whipped about to face Ryo, then raised his claws to wave them. "N-no, no! I just... I thought we were going to see the other Chosen Children, so I was... just surprised, that's all!" He lowered his claws as he smiled at Ryo, shyly. "L-like I told you, my duty is to follow you wherever you go and help you in any way I can. If you want to come here instead of meet the other Chosen Children, then that's what we're going to do. I'm sure you have very good reasons not to meet with them just yet, s-so… whatever you do is fine by me."

Ryo grimaced. Somehow, Monodramon's complete lack of judgment made him feel even more guilty than actually being judged would have. The Digimon showed so much faith and trust in him, practically worshipping the ground he walked on. The Chosen of Miracles could only imagine what Monodramon would think if he knew that Ryo's reason for not rushing to meet with the other Chosen Children was because he felt too intimidated to do it just yet.

Given Monodramon's own timid nature, Ryo imagined the Digimon would understand where he was coming from. However, it was still an unbecoming trait for a supposedly "legendary hero" who "brought everyone together to fight a great evil," as his newly assigned assistant had so helpfully described him as. More than ever, his undeserved reputation made him acutely aware of his own failings.

Sighing, Ryo tried to stop thinking about it as he made his way towards the stairs and began to ascend. Sure, he could go immediately to the top if he wanted, but Monodramon couldn't. The one good thing about climbing the tower in Crystal Tower was that it had some sort of programming in place that didn't increase one's fatigue as they traversed up or down. No, the biggest problem was being inside his head with such self-destructive thoughts. He needed a distraction, so he turned his gaze to the little dragon who followed obediently at his side.

"So, hey," Ryo began, his words coming with some hesitation as he beat back his social awkwardness. "What's it like living at Zhuqiaomon's temple?"

"Oh, it's such an honor!" Monodramon said before he paused, then frowned. "I-I mean, admittedly I never really got to do much besides cleaning and things like that. I'm not… the most impressive Digimon by any means. I think it surprised _everyone_ , not just myself, that I showed the highest compatibility to your crest." Realizing what he had said, he quickly turned to Ryo as he raised his claws. "I-I know that doesn't sound very reassuring at all, but I p-promise you that I'll do my absolute best to serve you!" He clasped his claws over his chest as he looked down, his tail curling around his legs hesitantly. "…I-I know that I'm not exactly filling you with confidence, but…"

A small smile graced Ryo's face as he reached out to pat Monodramon's head. It put him a little more at ease seeing that this little Digimon felt likely every bit of awkward as he did. "You're doing fine, Monodramon. Thanks for all your help."

Monodramon lifted his head to smile shyly at Ryo, his tail wagging slightly. "T-thank you, Lord Ryo…! I'll definitely do my best!"

The two continued onward in their journey up the stairs, making small talk about unimportant things as they traversed ever onward to their destination. Eventually, the stairs finally came to a stop to a massive temple-like structure built on the very top of the tower, with nothing but clouds as far as the eye could see. Reminiscent of a Greek Temple with its white marble pillars and smooth steps, it was abundantly clear how important the location was.

"O-oh w-wow," Monodramon muttered as he came to a stop at the top of the stairs, then glanced past the temple to the clouds all about them. He couldn't see the bottom and that was both reassuring and _terrifying_. "Um."

Ryo didn't stop to do any gawking himself, as he was more than familiar with the place by now. Instead, he rushed straight towards the temple entrance and up the steps.

No sooner had Ryo set foot on the lowest step did a voice boom loud and clear, startling both Ryo and Monodramon, directing their attention to the temple itself.

"Who _dares_ intrude on the temple of Lady Tenraimon!? Identify yourself or be destroyed!"

The voice was immediately accompanied by a flash of light that heralded the arrival a massive angel Digimon, with long flowing robes of white with gold markings and two large white wings fanned behind him. His face was obscured by a white mask with golden marks to designate where his eyes and mouth should be, while long blonde hair flowed behind him like a cape. The angel held his golden staff at the ready, as if prepared to strike the intruders dead should they take a single step further.

The staff whipped about to point at the stunned Ryo, as he was the closest to the angel in question. The angel stood motionless as he seemed to stare at the Chosen of Miracles, who returned it with a dumbfounded expression of his own.

After a long moment, a softer and much more gentle voice came from beneath the mask. "…R… Ryo?"

Ryo had barely a chance to blink before the massive angel disappeared with a burst of light, instead replaced by a much smaller angel - one more human in size - in similar robes, minus the mask and his staff. It was then that Ryo was able to see Higashi's face as he gaped at the Chosen of Miracles.

As realization dawned that Higashi was truly seeing who he thought he was, a look of intense anguish mingled with painful joy took over his face before he lunged towards the boy. Instantly he wrapped his arms around the human child as he dropped to his knees, holding Ryo tightly. "By the gods, _Ryo_!"

Ryo returned the hug just as fiercely. "Higashi! You're still here!"

Sobs began to rack Higashi's body as he clung to Ryo, closing his eyes as his grip became like a vice. "I c-can't… I can't believe… Ryo… by the gods…!"

Although Ryo wanted to reassure Higashi, a new issue quickly made itself known. "Higashi… I can't… breathe!"

Higashi jerked, Ryo's words startling him enough to break him free of his crying. He quickly lightened his grip on the human child, though he didn't release the boy. "I-I, that's… a-are you alright, Ryo!?"

After a few coughs and gulps of air, Ryo managed a smile. "Y-yeah, I'm fine, Higashi. I'm glad to see you too."

Higashi looked Ryo over for a moment before his hands moved to cup Ryo's face. "You're really here… Ryo..."

"Sorry it took so long for me to come back," Ryo said sheepishly, hoping his lopsided smile conveyed his slightly joking tone. "I'll try not to do it again."

Higashi reached up to wipe at his eyes with the back of his hand, though it did little more than smear the tears that were there. "I… I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am to see you… safe a-and sound. I was so afraid… that you…"

Ryo patted Higashi's arm, trying not to let his awkwardness ruin the moment. "I'm glad to see you made it too." He hesitated a moment before opening his mouth, ready to ask about Zennyu, when instantly a cold chill in his gut made him close it again with a click of his teeth.

There was something there, right at the edge of his memories, too sharp and terrible that he feared touching it.

It took Ryo a moment to recover himself and choose a different topic, one that didn't prickle with the promise of bleeding them. "So… how's Tenraimon doing?" His brow furrowed, remembering the last time he saw her, before the battle started. "Is she… is she doing any better?"

Higashi straightened up as he finished wiping at his face, his tears finally under control. "Actually, Lady Tenraimon recently started to show signs of consciousness. It's only been roughly a day so it may be too soon to tell, but I am hoping she may wake up soon."

Ryo lit up at such news. "That's great!" It worried him that apparently Tenraimon had been unconscious for the full _three years_ he was gone, but he would take any good news he could.

"It's the strangest thing, as I can't see any reason for the sudden improvement and it's been so long since there's been any changes, but I'm thankful all the same," Higashi said before he smiled down at Ryo. "Perhaps it's your doing - another one of your Miracles. Just like you standing before me right now."

A rush of heat flushed Ryo's cheeks as he looked away, unable to meet Higashi's reverent gaze. The worst part was that he couldn't dismiss the idea outright, as far too many things about him and his powers were a mystery to everyone, especially himself. "I don't know about that…"

Higashi smiled softly before his eyes drifted over to Monodramon, who stood obediently by the doorway, not wanting to intrude. The angel Digimon blinked before he furrowed his brow. "Hm? And who is that Digimon with you?"

Monodramon jerked as he realized he was being spoken about and let out a tiny squeak before hurrying over to join Ryo's side. He quickly gave a deep bow. "I-I'm Monodramon! I-it's an honor to meet you, S-Sir Higashi!"

Higashi blinked before he turned to Ryo, his expression blank - and questioning.

"This is Monodramon," Ryo said quickly as he gestured to the Digimon beside him. "Zhuqiaomon figured out how to save me from the Dark Ocean, so he sent Monodramon with the other Chosen Children and rescued me."

Higashi outright gaped at Ryo, making no attempts to hide his bafflement at what he had just been told. "Zhuqiaomon did… what?"

"L-Lord Zhuqiaomon sent me to help rescue Ryo, a-a-and… so we rescued him!" Monodramon said. He turned to smile at Ryo before he realized how redundant his statement was. _Obviously_ they had rescued Ryo, as Ryo was standing _right in front of him_. "Er, well… a-as you can… clearly see…"

Higashi blinked once, twice, and a third time before he furrowed his brow. "I… see. I suppose it _has_ been nearly three years, so perhaps…" Even as the angel was speaking, he seemed to lack confidence in the words he was uttering.

Ryo shrugged and gave Higashi a lopsided smile. "I guess even Zhuqiaomon has his 'dere' moments too, right?"

Higashi returned the smile with one of his own. "Apparently. And it only took several millennia."

Monodramon tilted his head to the side, his expression clueless. He didn't understand what they were talking about and he felt it would be too rude to ask. He didn't want to intrude - or show his ignorance.

"Maybe Zhuqiaomon holding onto the Crest of Miracles for a few years made a miracle happen with him," Ryo joked, though he suspected that wasn't the case. Zhuqiaomon certainly only helped him for the sake of the Digital World, he was sure, but that was fine. As long as they were all fighting on the same side, it didn't matter to him if the firebird still hated humans as much as ever.

"Perhaps," Higashi said, though it was clear from his frown and the furrow of his brow that he didn't believe it for an instant. "Great miracles can happen, after all."

The conversation tapered off for a moment, as Ryo didn't feel like discussing Zhuqiaomon any longer despite his attempts at humor. He might have owed the Holy Beast his life, but that didn't erase all the tense and unpleasant encounters they had in the past. Instead, he switched his attention to far more pressing matters. "Higashi, do you know where Keiko and Ken are?"

Higashi immediately stiffened, not just in his body posture but his expression as well. After a moment of silence, he slowly forced his face to relax as he tried to take on a more neutral expression. "I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with what's happened outside of Crystal Tower recently. I know that FlaWizarmon and Witchmon are watching over Ken, but they haven't given me an update since they put the Crystal Tower on lockdown - for my safety, they said."

"Lockdown?" Ryo asked, startled. He paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him. "Oh, you mean from the rest of the Digital World. The Digital Gate still let us in here just fine from back home."

Higashi paused at that before furrowing his brow. "That's strange… they said it was a complete lockdown."

"Oh, um!" Monodramon raised his claw, like a student in class. "I-I can answer that!" He then clenched his claws together. "T-there was a firewall on the door to Crystal Tower that the Chosen Children couldn't get open… so they had to ask the Digimon Kaiser to remove it!"

"The Digimon… _what_?" Higashi asked, slowly.

"Digimon Kaiser?" Ryo asked at nearly the same time, unintentionally talking over Higashi. "What's that?"

"It's a human child that's been taking over the Digital World with his vast armies!" Monodramon said. "He's already killed Qinglongmon and Xuanwumon, and enslaved a large part of the Digital World!"

"He _what!?_ " Ryo shouted, his eyes popping open wide in alarm. "One of us killed half the Holy Beasts and conquered the Digital World!? Who?! How?! _Why_?!"

"I-I don't really know," Monodramon said, growing a touch anxious due to Ryo's obvious sense of panic. "He used to be very cruel, but he's apparently changed after the monstrous battle with Armagemon that nearly killed Baihumon and the other Chosen Children… but even so, he's still amassing a _huuuuge_ army and it's making Lord Zhuqiaomon very… antsy."

"Changed?" Ryo repeated slowly. "Changed how?"

"Well, he's no longer using brainwashing collars to enslave Digimon, and is instead recruiting them with promises of a utopia under his protection," Monodramon said as he tapped a claw against his chin. "And no one's seen him beat anyone with a whip for a very long time."

Higashi gaped at Monodramon before he turned to Ryo. "That… must be why they put the Crystal Tower on lockdown. If this Digimon Kaiser is trying to kill the Holy Beasts, he might be tempted to go after Tenraimon."

"That's insane!" Ryo blurted out, shuddering at the feeling of a drop of sweat trickling down the back of his neck. "We've got to stop him, talk him down somehow."

"That's what the Chosen Children are doing," Monodramon said with a nod before he frowned. "T-t-t-though they… apparently had a temporary truce in order to rescue you. The Digimon Kaiser even sent his minions, a FlaWizarmon and Witchmon, to help protect us."

"FlaWizarmon and Witchmon?!" Ryo gasped. "Why would they be working with someone like that?"

"It… doesn't make any sense," Higashi said before he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Just what's been _happening_ these past three years…?"

"Um," Monodramon blinked as he looked between Higashi and Ryo. "A… a lot. A _whoooole_ lot."

Ryo rubbed his forehead with a sigh, trying to smooth out the tension he found there. "Maybe I can talk to whoever this Digimon Kaiser is in the real world. Since I'm guessing he's not using his real name at all, can you tell me what he looks like?"

"U-um, it's really hard to say, as he's always wearing this really outlandish outfit and glasses," Monodramon said as he crossed his arms. "A-all I can really say is that… he's human and he's got kinda purple spiky hair? T-though it looks more indigo now."

There was only one person who popped into Ryo's mind with such a vague description, but he violently shook the thought off. Osamu was dead. He remembered that much for certain. He took a moment to compose himself, running his hand across his face. "Not much to go on… I guess I'll have to see if he'll talk to me here in the Digital World."

Monodramon drooped. "I'm s-sorry… b-but I'm sure the other Chosen Children would be able to answer a-all of your questions! They've been fighting against him for a long time!"

Ryo tried not to cringe at the idea of seeking out the other Chosen Children. Somehow, he would rather face a crazy maniac one on one than speak in front of a large crowd again. He chided himself for having such an irrational feeling and forced himself to nod. "Right." He couldn't avoid the other Chosen Children forever. "I guess I'll hang out here until they come back to the tower to plan their next mission."

"Your room should be just as you left it," Higashi said with a gentle smile. "Please make yourself right at home… you are always welcome here."

Ryo nodded. "I'll probably just come back a few times a day to check. I kind of don't want to stay away from home too much." He rubbed the back of his head, feeling a surge of guilt. "I don't want my parents to worry again."

"It's understandable," Higashi said, gently. "We've missed you terribly, Ryo… and feared the worst."

An awkward laugh trickled out of Ryo, and he couldn't meet Higashi's gaze. "It's weird… I really don't feel like I've been gone that long. Like I just… fell asleep right after the meeting we had back then before we were supposed to go off to fight Zeed, and I just had a bad nightmare I can't remember much of. It feels like I only saw you just the other day, Higashi, not three years ago."

"That's probably for the best," Higashi said, his eyes soft with sympathy.

"T-that's right," Monodramon said as he nodded. "Given where you were a-and who you were with… I-I don't think any good could come from _that_."

"Yeah…," Ryo murmured. Though he had no memory of the Dark Ocean, except for the rare times he went to the Dark World with Keiko and Nyamon as escort years ago, the thought of being trapped there for so long made him shiver.

Thinking of his friends snapped Ryo back to attention, and he turned back to Higashi, seized with this sudden desperate need to find Keiko immediately. "Higashi? Do you have any idea where Keiko might be? I heard she went missing, and I was hoping maybe she was with Narakumon and Tenraimon all this time and just couldn't tell her brother and sister anything…?"

Higashi's expression stiffened again. He hesitated before he looked away, raising his hand to his chest. "I…"

"O-oh, um," Monodramon hesitated before he glanced between Ryo and Higashi. "A-actually… Keiko is… in the Dark World. I think."

Higashi jerked and turned to stare at Monodramon. "What!?"

"Really?" Ryo asked, feeling a rush of relief run through him. "That's great!"

"Y-yes," Monodramon said. "I c-c-c-couldn't… see her, but the Chosen Children were able to talk to her, and she even came with us to help rescue you!"

Ryo blinked and stared blankly at Monodramon. "Couldn't see her?"

Monodramon paused before he lowered his head. "N-no. It just looked like they were talking to thin air."

Higashi stared at Monodramon before he reached up to grab at the front of his robes, as if clutching his heart.

"That's… really weird," Ryo murmured slowly before he noticed the pain etched on Higashi's face. "Higashi? What's wrong?"

"It's…," Higashi began before he faltered, unable to find the words he wanted. "Keiko is…"

Monodramon could sympathize, as he still hadn't been able to find the words he wanted despite fully knowing the answer. He fidgeted with his claws before finally clenching them as he gathered his resolve. "B-b-but it's okay! You should be able to see her a-a-and talk to her, so… so…!"

Ryo ran his hands through his hair. "I guess something weird happened to Keiko at the battle…" He trailed off as the thought tumbled out of his mouth and shattered on the floor. He smelled something burning, and it was making him sick. Something happened to Keiko. _Something_ happened to Keiko. He knew it. He knew it as clearly as he knew the smell wasn't burnt meat but flesh, _flesh_!

Ryo slapped his hand over his mouth and tried to keep his breakfast in his stomach. It was there, just at the edge of his thoughts. He knew it was. It had something to do with the battle, with that _stench_. He knew it. He knew it and yet inside he ran from it, screaming silent denials as he tried to keep from hyperventilating.

"I… I need water," Ryo finally managed to choke out, his voice muffled behind his palm. The smell was so strong he could _taste_ it. He had to get it out of his mouth or he was going to throw up.

"I-I will get you some! Right away!" Monodramon said before he turned on his tail and quickly scurried to the stairway leading back down.

Higashi moved to grab Ryo's shoulders, trying to steady him. "Ryo, stay with me… focus on me."

"S-sorry," Ryo muttered as he struggled to erase the stench, the fear, and the sorrow that was so strong it twisted into anger that pressed into him. Tears stung his eyes and wetly warped the edges of his vision as he looked up at Higashi's worried face. "H-Higashi… tell me… tell me Keiko is okay. Tell me she… that she… the battle…" She shuddered and finally forced out his desperate feelings into words. "Tell me Keiko survived the battle!"

Higashi grimaced. He couldn't even begin to hide his pain as tears formed in his eyes. "...I'm sorry, Ryo."

The world dropped out from beneath Ryo and only Higashi's firm grip on his shoulders kept him from crashing down. The stench worsened, choking him along with smoke and the heat from flames burning from fuel made of flesh.

His fault. That was the feeling that rose to the surface from his hazy memories with the smoke and stench. It was all his fault. If he hadn't… then Keiko would be…

What did he do? Why was it his fault? He had no idea. He didn't know how to fix it. All he knew was that he did something, something crucial, and it was the reason that Keiko was d…

Despite the firm grip on him, Ryo hunched forward, retching. Higashi barely had time to conjure a bucket in front of the traumatized boy before Ryo lost all control and emptied his stomach between hysterical screams and crying.


	13. Chapter 13

Daisuke was the last to arrive at the meeting at the Yamagi residence. His footsteps were heavy, lacking real energy behind them as he trudged forward. Even when the Yamagi matriarch opened the door to let him in, the sluggish boy could offer little more than a token greeting before he limped past her.

"Sorry I'm late," Daisuke said, his voice barely above a mutter as he entered the living room to join the others already there, his duffle bag hanging off his shoulder heavily.

The Chosen of Tenacity's lack of tenacity did not go unnoticed.

"Daisuke?" Takeru asked as he peered over the side of the sofa, where he sat next to his brother. "…You okay?" It was more of a rhetorical question, as it was abundantly clear to everyone assembled that Daisuke was _not_ , in fact, even remotely okay.

Daisuke slumped onto the armrest of the sofa beside Hikari. He didn't raise his eyes from the floor. "I blew it with Ken. Again."

Taichi got up from his seat cushion on the floor beside Sora and moved to wrap an arm around Daisuke's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure if you keep at it with the emails-"

"He was in my room last night," Daisuke continued, as though Taichi hadn't spoken. "But I lost him after he ran away from me."

"Wait, what?!" Yamato quickly stood up, startled. "He was in your _room_?"

Daisuke nodded glumly, his eyes fixed on his feet as he ground his sock covered toes into the floor. "I told him I was sorry… and he acted like it didn't even matter."

Mimi blinked and tilted her head as she gave Daisuke a puzzled look. "Isn't that good news? If what happened doesn't bother him anymore then-"

"That's not it!" Daisuke snapped, clutching the strap of his duffle bag tightly. "He's pretending like… like he doesn't even… that he didn't…" His voice tapered off as he struggled in vain to try and put his feelings into words, of the wall he felt between him and Ken. He hunched into himself and closed his eyes. "I said sorry, and he pretended he didn't know what I was talking about… then he ran away from me."

"Oh, Daisuke…," Hikari murmured as she reached out to touch Daisuke's shoulder.

"It's all Jun's fault!" Chibimon snarled as he popped out of the duffle bag. "If she hadn't stuck her nose in because she heard that Ken was naked, then he might not have run away!"

"Uh, what?" Taichi asked, staring baffled at Chibimon. "Ken was _what_ now?"

"Excuse me," Iori said slowly. "Did you just say that Ken Ichijouji was… naked?"

"Ken was totally naked!" Chibimon proclaimed. "You could see his butt and everything!"

"N-not totally!" Daisuke sputtered, his cheeks turning red. "He just had no pants on." He grimaced, feeling the others staring at him, but didn't have the courage to look up. The silence alone was enough to make him squirm. "I didn't have anything to do with it!"

Miyako slowly raised an eyebrow. "No one here said you did."

" _Someone_ is protesting too much," Kudamon said with a giggle.

Jou made a circling gesture with his right hand, as if he were trying to physically rewind the conversation. "Back up, please. Ken appeared in your room… with no pants?"

"Yes!" Chibimon said, helpfully. "Or underwear or a shirt! He just wore this frock thing that only covered his front, and it didn't do a very good job of it because we still saw his butt!"

"I guess it was a pajama shirt or something, but it had weird ties in the back," Daisuke muttered, his cheeks still a healthy shade of pink. "I guess he must've accidentally used the Digital Gate while he was sleeping or something because I've got his Digivice."

Jou stopped to stare at Daisuke for a moment as he furrowed his brow. "A frock that ties in the back…?" A connection sparked in his mind and he jerked as his eyebrows shot straight up. "Y-you mean a _hospital gown_?!"

Daisuke finally raised his head to stare at Jou in confusion. "Hospital gown…?"

Koshiro glanced between the two boys and opened up his web browser. With a few taps of the keys, he brought up images of hospital gowns from the internet and whirled the screen around so that Daisuke could see it. "Did it look like this?"

"That's it!" Chibimon said as he pointed at the screen. "That's it, that's it! It was flimsy and open in the back, just like that!"

The color drained from Daisuke's face as he stared at the images on the screen. There was no mistaking what he was looking at. He could never forget the up close and personal view he had of Ken and what the other boy was wearing, or lack thereof. "Wh… why was Ken in a hospital gown…?"

"That can't be…," Hikari said as her hand came to her mouth. "If Ken was in the hospital, we would've known about it, wouldn't we?"

"...Hey," Jou said, getting everyone's attention back to him. He slowly turned to the others, his glasses sliding down his nose as his expression was more than a little freaked out. "Do you think… Ken might have gotten seriously hurt somehow and was taken to the hospital against his will, and he was trying to make a break for it…?"

The question sent a chill through the gathered children and they looked to one another nervously.

"Th-that can't be," Mimi said, trying to laugh off the suggestion. Unfortunately, her forced attempt at laughter quickly died off with a weak croak. "R-right?"

"No one would willingly wear a hospital robe," Wallace said as he rubbed his chin with his left index finger and thumb, his right hand supporting his elbow. "Not unless it was a costume, such as playing the part of a patient for a show."

"You mean, like… pretend? A game?" Chibimon asked, with a blink. He then frowned. "He didn't look like he was having a lot of fun…"

"Ah, no, no," Wallace said as he waved his hand in front of him. "I don't mean I think that he was acting. I mean I think Ken _must_ have been a patient. Any other explanation doesn't make sense."

"But for what? And why?" Yamato asked.

"I think we need to ask Ken that," Tailmon said as she glanced to Hikari. "Something… definitely feels wrong."

"Unfortunately, Ken is not answering emails," Iori said with a shake of his head. "I doubt he would answer them for this, either."

Takeru glanced towards Hikari. "Let's check his house."

"His house?" Patamon asked as he flew over to land on Takeru's shoulders. "Why there?"

"That's the first place I'd expect him to go," Takeru said. "Even if it's just to pick up a change of clothes or use the phone. It's much closer than the Ryuzaki residence, and it doesn't sound like he had any way to contact them for help." He paused for a moment before a grimace marred his face. "I just hope that his parents are less… hostile this time."

"Well, it's the only lead we have at the moment, so it doesn't hurt to try," Yamato said. "Even if they aren't thrilled to see us, their reactions alone will tell us if they've seen him."

Daisuke found himself unable to fully pay attention as the other Chosen Children planned their next steps. All he could think about was his encounter with Ken the night before, which had suddenly taken a whole new perspective. He had been so focused on himself that he had never stopped to consider the situation he and, most importantly, _Ken_ had been in. Not once did he stop to consider that maybe something _was_ wrong with Ken - _very_ wrong. If he had focused less on himself and more on _Ken_ , he might have realized the situation _then_ when he still had an opportunity to do something about it. As it was, he couldn't even remember if the Chosen of Kindness had appeared injured, though he could certainly still run like his life depended on it.

Daisuke found himself thinking back to what Ken had said and how he had acted. At the time, he had assumed that the strange reaction to his apology was all Ken's way of coldly brushing him off and refusing to forgive him. But now, he couldn't help but think - was it really?

"What if… he really didn't remember?" Daisuke murmured, his voice too quiet for others to notice amidst all the conversation going on around him. He had seen enough anime and video games in his lifetime to know all about amnesia, with characters suddenly forgetting everything. It was usually due to a blow to the head, and certainly that would send _anyone_ to the hospital. "Can that really happen in real life…?"

Daisuke wasn't really sure, not that he was sure about much of anything. But what he _did_ know was that if Ken really had lost any part of his memory, then the Chosen of Kindness had absolutely no idea what he was going home to.

* * *

Several hours had passed by the time Ken Ichijouji finally began to rouse from his deep sleep. Blurrily, he opened his eyes to see light splashed across the floor like spilled paint, the afternoon sun's bright rays flooding the room. He stared down at the light through half-lidded eyes for several long moments, enjoying the beautiful sight as he waited for his brain to reboot.

When it finished, however, his enjoyment of the tranquil scene was quickly diminished when the realization came that he had been completely vulnerable for many hours in a dream world designed to destroy him. Sitting up quickly, Ken flinched as the sudden motion disoriented him. Giving a small shake of his head, he peered about the room uneasily, searching for anything amiss.

Seeing nothing, the boy genius cautiously climbed out of the bed to the floor below. With both feet now on the ground, Ken glanced out through the balcony to the city beyond his window. It looked surprisingly peaceful, and very real; but given that it was a view that he was acutely familiar with, it only made sense that his mind would be able to recreate it in such detail.

"My mind is a really incredible - and terrifying - place," Ken muttered. But that was really to be expected. There were so many fields dedicated entirely to trying to decipher the human mind and all its pitfalls, with just as many theories.

And if _any_ mind deserved to have case studies done on it, it would be his.

"Just how much control, if any, do I have over this world?" Ken muttered. By all rights, as the world came from his mind, he should have complete control over it. However, he remembered enough from his studies to know better than that. Be it anything from the id, ego, and superego to the collective unconscious of Jungian studies, science had proven that humanity had as much control over their own mind as they did any other force of nature.

And that didn't even _begin_ to address any subconscious efforts of self-sabotage.

"Given that I haven't seen anything abstract or outlandish, it would seem that this world is fairly rooted in reality," Ken muttered. Given how logic-based his mind was, that wasn't a surprise. "Still, I was able to affect it to some degree by teleporting myself out of the Digital World. I just need to find the limits that I've placed upon myself, and go from there."

Ken turned to glance about his room then shifted his focus to the floor. "I suppose a few experiments couldn't hurt." He just needed to decide on _what_.

After a moment, the Chosen of Kindness glanced to the ceiling. "It'd be nice to have my Digivice. I may be able to gate without it, but it'd certainly be easier - and faster - to use it." While Belial Vamdemon might have had his _real_ Digivice, there was no reason why he couldn't manifest a fake one.

Ken turned to look at his hand, turning it over so that he could stare at his palm. He furrowed his brow, visualizing his Digivice - the black casing, the way it felt in his hands, and all the memories associated with it. He imagined it forming in his hand, as if being made out of data like any other aspect of the Digital World.

The former genius stared long and hard at his hand, focusing all his thoughts on creating a duplicate of his Digivice - just like he had when gating himself out. Unfortunately, as minutes ticked by with zero results, Ken finally had no choice but to relent, letting out a deep sigh as he dropped his hand to the ground.

"Either I can't do it by design, or because I won't let it," Ken said, shaking his head. "Because I 'know' that Belial Vamdemon has my real one." It also meant he forget about trying to manifest a false Wormmon to help him - not that he'd feel comfortable with a fake wearing his partner's face to begin with. The very idea left his skin crawling.

Ken reached up to rub the back of his neck before a thought came to him, his eyes lighting up. "What about something that _doesn't_ have a deep, personal importance to me? Like, say… physics itself?" After all, few people ever gave much thought to things like gravity or friction - it did its job with or without human input.

The Chosen of Kindness closed his eyes, this time visualizing himself free of such restrictions, floating in the air like a balloon. In his mind, he was weightless like an astronaut in space. He didn't feel his body rise or even begin to be affected by his thoughts. He waited a moment more as he continued his efforts, minutes ticking by, before he gave a small jump to see if that was the final push his mind needed to obey his requests.

Unfortunately, Ken came back down as expected, his feet hitting the ground awkwardly on a pencil that had fallen off of his desk. His arms spun like windmills at his sides to regain his balance, knocking over the rest of the school supplies stacked on his desk in the process in a resounding clatter. Rubbing his now sore hand as he watched papers flutter down onto the mess of useless school books and writing utensils, he let out another resigned sigh.

"This isn't going to work," Ken said. "I don't see why Belial Vamdemon would block _that_ , so it must be me." All he could think was that it was because his efforts weren't 'logical', that they were trying to bend reality. It was no different than the many _normal_ dreams he had where he would attempt to do something, but the dream would resist him and his efforts to influence anything. More often than not, he would end up waking up due to the disagreement between his conscious mind and subconscious.

Sadly, such a conflict wasn't going to wake him up so easily from _this_ nightmare.

"All I can do is behave as if this were the real world," Ken muttered. "My mind will accept nothing less."

He really was such a pain in the ass, even on a subconscious level. How anyone could tolerate someone like him was beyond him. He didn't know how Daisuke did managed it.

The sound of footsteps caught Ken's attention, snapping him out of his self depreciation and thoughts of his jogress partner before he could think back to the night before. He froze, turning to stare towards the door - which appeared to still be locked. He held his breath as he listened, and the faint sound of his parents' voices came from somewhere in the hallway.

"They're awake - or rather, home, given what time it supposedly is," Ken thought, with no small amount of apprehension. He didn't know what to expect of his dream parents - would they be hostile opponents or harmless obstacles? Given it was supposedly his own mind, he should've known the answer more acutely than anyone. Unfortunately, as it _was_ his own mind, he _couldn't_ be certain in his answer.

"I could always check to see," Ken thought, frowning. "I can run away if I need to."

A loud series of knocks made Ken jump before he heard his father's voice through the door. "Ken? Ken? Is that you?"

"Eh?" Ken's eyes widened as he stared at the door, startled. The door was closed and locked, so they couldn't possibly have known he was there - could they? Especially since he remembered always keeping it closed and locked during his youth, so nothing would seem out of the ordinary for the time period.

The sound of the rattling of the knob preceded even more pounding on the wood. "Open this door!"

Ken jumped again before he found himself obeying before his mind could stop him, his father's authoritative demand sparking an instinctive need to comply. By the time he realized what had happened, the door was unlocked and swiftly yanked open by his father.

For a moment that stretched on to eternity, Ken and his parents could only stare at one another. Tears welled up in his mother's eyes and she broke the silence by letting out a wail before she swept Ken up into her arms.

"You're back," Yui sobbed. "Our baby boy finally came home to us."

At first, Ken could only stare at his mother as she wept. In an instant, he was overcome with a strong sense of déjà vu - and guilt. It was the same thing all over again, when he had returned from the Digital World as a broken Kaiser, to his parents who had wished so desperately for his return. Even if the timeline didn't match up, her tears and anguish felt real - and heartbreaking. Despite knowing it was all in his mind, it still made him feel a stab of pain to his heart and he found himself returning the embrace. "I'm… I'm home."

Haruto stood to the side, swiping his hand across his eyes before clearing his throat. "Ken, your mother and I have been worried sick about you. How could you just run away like that?"

Ken paused and turned to stare at his father. Even if it didn't fit the time period, it seemed both he and his parents were reliving that moment all over again. It had been a very important moment for him, so it only made sense that it would be the first thing he came across when dealing with them. "I…"

"Weeks without a word," Haruto continued before clearing his throat again, his gaze slipping away. "We had the police searching for you, even went to the news to find you. So many people have been worrying and searching for you."

Ken grimaced. It really _was_ the same scenario all over again. Unfortunately, just like then, he really had no words to defend himself - not that he recalled his father bringing it up at the moment of their reunion. Still, the circumstances were slightly different, as he hadn't slipped into a coma upon returning like he had done in the _true_ past.

"It… it's okay," Yui said in a wavering voice as she wiped tears from her cheeks. "You're back now and everything can go back to the way things were." She hesitated a moment. "Just… just tell us why you ran away and we'll fix it, Ken. You mean everything to us."

Ken hesitated. A wide variety of reasons played through his mind, from the Dark Seed to Oikawa and Belial Vamdemon. However, in the end, they were all excuses - he was still very much culpable for what he had done. Ultimately, all the Chosen of Kindness could do was look chastised as he lowered his gaze. "It really doesn't matter, there's no excuse for it."

His parents started, their eyes wide with confusion before they shared a look with one another.

"Does… does this mean…?" his mother began hesitantly. "Does this mean you've gone back to being our sweet little Ken? No more yelling? No more fighting and insulting us?"

"No more _threats_?" his father added.

"I… yes," Ken said, softly. "I'm sorry."

"Oh Ken!" Yui cried before hugging him again even more enthusiastically than before. "We prayed every day for Osamu to bring the real you back to us. We're so glad you're finally back."

Ken smiled weakly at his mother before he paused, her words striking him as somewhat odd. "Prayed to… Osamu?"

"Of course," Yui said with a wide smile. "He'll always be watching over you from the other world, Ken. You know that."

"Ah, y-yes, of course," Ken said, with a blink, before he felt a wave of embarrassment. The answer had been fairly obvious, strange phrasing or not. The altar by the Christmas tree must have thrown him off more than he thought. "That's… that's true."

"He gave his life for you," Yui continued, her joy wavering under the weight of an old sadness. "His dearest wish was for you to live the life he never could."

Ken felt another twinge at his heart. Even if he had long ago come to terms with Osamu's death and his hand in it, it was still a loss. While it wasn't a festering wound, he would always remember the brother he had lost. "I know."

His mother sniffled and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away more tears. "H-he… he would be so happy to see you finally came home to us… a-after we were so afraid that you were gone for good. After we thought you had forgotten his sacrifice and lost your way."

"Osamu will only be able to rest in peace so long as it doesn't happen again, Ken," Haruto said in a low, gruff tone. "Your behavior before was inexcusable; you treated us like bugs, and you insulted your brother's memory. He can rest easy now that he knows that you've seen what the real world is like without us and understand now that we only want what's best for you."

Ken gave a start at that and turned to stare at his father. This time, there was no mistaking it. There was something undeniably _wrong_ with what his mother and _especially_ his father had just said. "What?"

"We won't tolerate any further nonsense from you," Haruto said with a disapproving scowl. "We're going to get you back on track and contact the school, media, and police. I'm sure they'll be so grateful to get you back that they won't see your abandonment as too much of an insult to work with you again and ruin your future."

Ken opened his mouth but no sound came out. He closed it with an audible click as he simply gaped at his father, who seemed to be transforming before his very eyes. No matter how much he wracked his brain, he absolutely could _not_ see his father as a man who would utter such things towards him or look at him with such obvious disapproval - _especially_ when they just reunited after a long time apart.

"You can thank Osamu _and the real world_ for teaching you humility, before any of those _thugs_ got you killed," Haruto continued, meeting his son's baffled stare with a piercing one of his own. "And then you can prove your gratitude to him _and to us_ by getting the future he left you back on track."

"I… you…," Ken faltered. Everything his father was saying was wrong, it was completely different than what the had _actually_ said when the son he supposedly loved returned from his disappearance. The two situations were like night and day, and it created a strong sense of _wrongness_ that was completely disorienting. "What are you saying…?"

"I'm saying that we're not going to tolerate your bullying and attitude any longer," the Ichijouji patriarch said. "Now, come on, we have a lot of phone calls and emails to make. You've made too many people upset by disappearing for weeks on end, and we shouldn't leave them to suffer over your selfishness a second longer."

Ken grew increasingly bewildered, to the point that he could only blurt out a single word. " _What_?"

Haruto frowned. "You worried countless people by running off like that. You owe it to them to make sure they know you finally came home, and to apologize for worrying them."

"They'll be so happy to know you've finally come home," Yui said before she squeezed Ken's arm lightly. "So many people have sent messages every day about you, worrying for your safety and wanting to know you're okay."

Ken stared at his parents in silence for several moments before he arched his eyebrows. "You… I finally come back after supposedly being gone for _weeks_ and _this_ is the first thing that comes to your mind? A _public spectacle_?"

Yui gasped, her eyes opening wide in confusion. "No, no, of course not! We just want to make sure all the kind people who spent all that time worrying about you, like we were, know that you're home safe and sound so they can be happy like we are."

"Even those b… _children_ you've been hanging around with will want to know," Haruto said with a severe expression. "That is, if they weren't the reason why you ran away to begin with. Your old friends dragged you away for days and days on end, worrying your mother and I sick, and they didn't care one bit. They even destroyed part of our home and threatened us, remember?"

Ken turned to stare at his father, blankly. "Huh?" He couldn't even begin to imagine what his father was talking about, as it sounded so completely foreign to him that it may as well have _been_ in a foreign language. "What?"

"You're too kind, Ken," Yui said with sad eyes. "That's why you attract these awful children that want to take advantage of you. Remember how hard Osamu had to fight to keep you from being bullied by such nasty children? He tried so hard to convince you to end your friendship with those two awful children, even up until the day he died. And then they… If… if you hadn't been sick that one day, then you…" She trailed off, choking a bit on a fresh round of tears as she wiped at her face.

Ken stared at his mother as something began to form in the back of his mind. It was blurry, and difficult to see, but he could see the outlines of two children - a boy and a girl. And while the girl remained shrouded in shadow, the boy suddenly came into focus - Ryo Akiyama. The boy had been a constant companion to him during his first adventures into the Digital World and even if he only remembered bits and pieces of it, Ryo's smiling face was _not_ one of the things he had forgotten. The Chosen of Kindness bristled as a surge of anger flooded him. "Are you… are you talking about _Ryo_!?"

His father turned to his mother and squeezed her shoulder before his severe eyes latched onto Ken again. "The point is that children like them don't care about you or your future. They break the law and consort with summoning demonic creatures, and it only leads to death and suffering for the families they left behind. Those two brought that hideous monster bug into our home along with other hideous creatures, and these new friends of yours are doing the same thing. We saw their monsters with our own ey-"

Ken froze as his eyes widened, realization stabbing into his heart and the anger turned to outrage as it broke free from the dam that had confined it, shouting over his father's tirade. " _Wormmon_ is _not_ a _hideous monster_!"

Both parents started, shocked by the sudden shriek. For a moment after the outburst, there was an awful, tense silence, then his mother began to sob into her hands as anger flooded his father's face.

Ken didn't see Haruto's hand coming until he felt a sharp sting of pain across his cheek that forced his head to turn towards the wall.

"That's enough!" the Ichijouji patriarch snapped. "I won't have you yelling at us after we've spent weeks worrying whether or not you were _dead_! Those monsters killed your old friends, and I won't let them kill you too! You're going to tell these new demon summoning brats that you never want to see them again, and you're not going to let them drag you down to hell with them!"

Ken stopped as he stared at the wall in silence for several moments. Then, he slowly reached up to feel the cheek, which ached against his touch. As much as it hurt, such a sharp slap had completely cleared his mind of all confusion and anger, and instead it brought with him absolute clarity.

This was _precisely_ what Neemon had been talking about.

"You're not my father," Ken said, with absolute conviction in his voice.

Haruto paused to stare at Ken in confusion. "What?"

Ken slowly turned to glare at his father, his eyes sharp like steel. "My father would _never_ treat me like this. You are _not_ my _father_. You're just a _fake_ wearing my father's face."

Another strike of the man's hand to Ken's face snapped his head the other way as his mother began to sob.

"Oh, Ken, how can you _say_ that?" Yui cried. "After everything we've done for you, after trying to bring you home safe for so long, after everything you've said and done to us…!"

"I won't have you disrespecting me or your mother in my own home again!" the man who was supposedly his father snapped. "That attitude stops here and now! We put up with your bullying for far too long. We're your parents and you will show us your _respect_!"

"Don't touch me again," Ken said, his voice like a low growl. He slowly turned his head to face his fake father, now more than ever convinced of the reality of the situation he was in. "Or you'll pay for it, and for pretending to be my father."

Haruto hesitated, anger flickering into confusion. "What? Are you on _drugs_ now? What on Earth are you talking about?"

"Ken, Ken, please," Yui said shakily between sobs. "Don't do this to us again after you've finally come back home to us after so long. Maybe you should just go sit down and read in your room for a while. There's plenty of homework for you to catch up on in here. That'll clear your head, I'm sure."

Ken's eyes flickered to his 'mother' before returning to his 'father's face. Wordlessly, the boy genius stepped back before he grabbed the door and slammed it in his _fake_ parents' face before audibly locking it once more.

However, if they thought he was just going to retreat into his room to sulk like he had as a child, they were quite wrong.

The boy genius went into the closet and rooted around until he found what he was looking for - an old backpack. Taking it to the dresser, he unceremoniously opened it and began shoving clothes into it, as much as he could fit. Socks, underwear, shirts, pants - the Chosen of Kindness threw as much as he could into the bag until it was about to burst, even if it meant wrinkling and crushing the formerly neatly folded clothes in to messy wads.

Ken gave the room a quick glance over to make sure there was nothing else of importance, he noted the fully-charged taser still plugged in to the wall and swiftly retrieved it, yanking it free with more intensity than necessary. After verifying he still had his wallet, he returned to the door. After unlocking and opening it again, he saw, to his mild surprise, that the hallway empty - his "parents" must have wandered off after he locked the door, satisfied that he was cooperating.

Their incorrect assumption suited him just fine, as it gave him a clear path towards the front door, which he took without hesitation, not even bothering to be stealthy about it.

Ken didn't turn his laser-like focus away from his destination when he stormed past the living room, where his false parents had retreated - no doubt to discuss him and his behavior. He quite frankly didn't care what they had to say, how they might react to him running away.

Ken chided himself for allowing the situation to go on as long as he had. It had felt so real that he found himself going along with it _were_ real, just like he would in a dream.

"It must be part of Belial Vamdemon's illusion," Ken thought, grimly. "And I almost fell under his spell… until my false father overplayed his hand. I _definitely_ need to be more careful."

"Ken!?" Yui cried out in horror from somewhere behind him. "Wait!"

"Where do you think you're going?!" Haruto shouted as he stormed after Ken, seizing the boy by the shoulder and forcing him to a halt.

Ken grit his teeth, his anger flaring up once more. Reaching into his pocket, he gripped the fully-charged taser and yanking it out as he swung his body around, pressing his thumb down on the button as he slammed the sparking prong into his false father's stomach. " _Do not touch me_!"

Haruto cried out and fell to the floor in spasms as his mother screamed in horror. The sound of broken glass brought Ken's attention to her and the now broken picture frame at her feet; the halo of jagged shards of glass around Osamu's smiling face seemed to mock him as it lay sideways on the floor.

Ken stared at the picture before fixing his false mother with a furious stare, then turned and hurried out the front door. He didn't look back as he closed it, the heavy door slamming shut behind him.

* * *

The trip from Odaiba to Tamachi felt like the longest twenty minutes of the Chosen Children's lives, but thankfully it was completely uneventful. Still, it wasn't the trip that they were expecting to be the source of impending drama, but rather from the Ichijouji residence itself. And that, unfortunately, was still to come.

Unlike the last attempted visit, there were no police officers blocking the area around the Ichijouji residence - much to the relief of the Chosen Children. Without any crowds or officials to worry about, there was nothing to stop Taichi and the others from walking straight up to the front steps and into the apartment complex proper while their Digimon partners watched from their hiding place just around the corner.

"So far, so good," Yamato said, his arms crossed, before he glanced to Taichi. "You think he's really here?"

"No clue, but we're gonna find out," Taichi said, his expression grim.

"L-let's be careful, regardless," Jou said as he adjusted his glasses. "Especially since we'll be dealing with _adults_."

" _Less than friendly_ adults." Yamato added.

Once they reached the apartment door, Sora gave the others an anxious look, fidgeting with the edges of her coat pockets. "Who should knock?"

"Not me," Mimi murmured as she clasped her hands over her chest.

"Well, _someone's_ got to-" Yamato began before he jerked as Hikari strode past, walking with great purpose. "Wait, Hika-"

The doorbell rang as Hikari pressed it without a hint of hesitation.

Takeru turned to give his brother a smile and shrug before he moved past the gawking elder Chosen to stand beside Hikari. The other Chosen glanced at each other before they awkwardly drew closer as well, crowding around the front door just in time for it to open, revealing Ken's mother, Yui.

"Y-yes?" Yui asked as she peered through the door, only to blink at the sight of the children. "Oh. Can I help you?"

Takeru blinked before it dawned on him that the woman probably didn't recognize them. After all, they had only met once, when Ken had initially disappeared. Shaking away his confusion, a bright smile appeared on his face. "Hello, we're here to see if Ken Ichijouji is home. Has he come by?"

"How did you…," Yui began before suspicion creased her brow. In an instant, realization dawned and her eyes flew open wide before she slammed the door shut.

Takeru blinked before he turned to Hikari. "Well, that ended quickly, didn't it?"

Hikari let out a frustrated huff of air. "I guess they're too afraid of the Digital World to want to talk to us, even if it's to help find Ken…"

"What should we do?" Iori asked as he looked at the others. "If they aren't willing to talk to us, we won't get very far."

Jou looked fretfully between the door and his friends. "We could try coming back-"

Jou's suggestion got cut off by the door suddenly swinging open wide with enough force to cause it to bang loudly against the wall inside the apartment. All of the Chosen Children jumped and turned to stare as Ken's father, Haruto, practically lunged at them with a furious look on his face.

"You brats!" he snarled, his face turning red. The look in his burning eyes made it painfully clear to the Chosen that he was barely keeping himself in check from strangling any one of them.

As the younger children stared in confusion, Yamato and Taichi both quickly rushed to the forefront. Moving to stand in front of their siblings, they faced down the seething patriarch of the Ichijouji family as he glared at them.

"You have a lot of nerve showing your face!" Haruto growled, furiously. "So you're looking for Ken, are you? And just _how_ did you know he came back today!?"

Hikari jerked back, startled by the middle aged man screaming at them even with Taichi standing as a buffer between them. Though alarmed by the intense anger, one thing stood out above all else. "Ken came back?"

Daisuke surged forward past his friends to directly face the enraged man. "You saw Ken? Where is he?"

"Like you don't know!" Haruto snapped before he pointed at Daisuke, his finger hovering barely a few centimeters away from the boy's nose. "You knew the whole time! You knew where he was from the very start; you let us suffer all this time and now you're here again! Do you _like_ seeing other people in misery, you trashy _punk_!?" The Ichijouji patriarch straightened up to his full height, looming over Daisuke. "I imagine _you're_ the ones that gave him that damn _taser_ , too!"

Daisuke crossed his eyes as he focused on the finger that pointed at him as though it were a weapon. "Huh?"

"So, did he tell you?" Haruto asked, with a sneer. "Did he tell you how he used it _on his own father_!?"

"He _what!?_ " Daisuke blurted out, shocked.

"Oh, I'm sure you thought it was _hilarious_ , didn't you!?" Haruto demanded as he jabbed his finger into Daisuke's chest, making the boy yelp and stagger back a couple steps before the man could do it again. "To have my _model son_ show me how much of a _delinquent_ you all and that psychotic _bitch_ turned him into!"

Sora stared at Haruto, aghast at the language coming out of the adult. "W… what!?"

Iori's eyes narrowed and he glanced at Miyako, his expression quizzical.

"He can't mean Hikari," Miyako said, "so he must mean Keiko."

"Where did he go!?" Haruto shouted. "Where is my son!?" He scanned his finger to point at all the gawking Chosen Children in turn, his expression accusatory. "Tell him to come home _this instant_!"

"You said that last time too!" Taichi said, exasperated. "Do you really think we'd come here if we knew where he was!?"

"Like I'd believe a word you _brats_ say!" Haruto growled as he faced Taichi, clenching his fists. "You-"

"What did you do?" Hikari asked, her voice quiet and yet carrying a deep undercurrent of anger that steeled her words. It was enough to make Haruto pause and stare at her, his eyebrows arching up. The Chosen of Light lifted her gaze to meet the man's own, her eyes fierce. "What did you do to make Ken lash out?"

Haruto faltered at that, taken aback not only by her words but the fact that Hikari was even uttering them. "What?"

"Ken's so gentle, he only gets violent when pushed," Hikari said, holding the man's gaze. "Is it because you were insulting his friends to his face, just like you did just now?" She didn't wait for an answer, lifting her hand to her chest. "After _everything_ he's been through? After everything _she's_ been through?"

"After everything _he's_ been through!?" Haruto repeated, incredulous. "After everything he's put _us_ thro-"

"How can you be so _selfish_? So _self-centered_?" Hikari demanded, cutting off the man. "You're his parents, aren't you!?"

Haruto gawked at the little slip of a girl daring to talk back to him, and his confusion was shared by all of the Chosen Children. Before the entire situation with Ken, none of them had ever seen her so angry. Before any of them could even get accustomed to even _that_ side of Hikari, the Chosen of Light was showing them yet another side of her that they hadn't known existed.

Jou gawked as his glasses slid down his face, his jaw hanging low. "W-wow…"

Takeru blinked slowly as he stared at Hikari before he turned to stare hard at Haruto, his expression hardening. The fact that the other man prompted Hikari to such a state meant that the patriarch of the Ichijouji family deserved everything that he was reaping at her hands.

"H-how _dare_ you…" Haruto began, quaking with anger. "You-"

"Your son is _suffering_!" Hikari all but screamed, interrupting whatever threat or accusation the man had in mind to spew at them next. "Do you just not _care_!? Does he even _matter_ to you, so long as you get to _pretend_ that you're model parents without having to actually put in the effort!?" She shook her head, tears forming - of anger, and sympathy for Ken. "Ken didn't run away! You _chased_ him away!"

Haruto gaped at Hikari, in shock. However, he was quickly brought out of his stupor by the sound of his wife's choked sobs from behind him. And then, his shock quickly gave to fury. Clenching his teeth and his jaw, the tall man lunged forward with his hand raised as if to strike Hikari down. "You little _bitch_ -!"

A startled cry escaped Sora as she hurried to grab Hikari's shoulders protectively with Mimi and Jou following suit while Yamato and Taichi immediately intercepted Haruto. Yamato slammed his hands on to the man's chest to shove him back while the eldest Yamagi raised his own fist in an obvious threat.

"Back off!" Yamato barked.

"Just try it!" Taichi growled, meeting Haruto's glare with one of his own, spoiling for a fight. "See what happens!"

"Yeah, just _try_ it!" Daisuke agreed, raising both his fists as he stood beside Taichi, forming a protective barrier in front of Hikari.

Takeru quickly moved closer to Hikari, standing protectively in front of her. However, his expression was no less hostile than the other boys'.

"Just what are you thinking!?" Wallace demanded as he joined Takeru and Daisuke by Hikari. "Did you seriously intend to strike a girl less than half your size!?"

"Cease and desist _immediately_!" Iori commanded, his eyes stern and disapproving as he joined the ever growing barrier around the Chosen of Light. "Have you no shame!?"

"Of course not," Miyako said, her arms crossed. "Otherwise, he would've noticed how shameful he's been acting this _whole time_."

"T-there is absolutely no reason for violence!" Koshiro said even as he glanced around to make sure the Digimon weren't close by. The last thing they needed was for things to escalate further.

As the rest of the children freaked out over what had happened, Hikari remained firm. Her eyes never left the furious man, even when he was clearly intending to attack her in her anger. "Is this what you do?"

Haruto paused at that, his fist still cocked back as if to strike. "What?"

"Did you hit Ken, too?" Hikari asked, her voice cold. "When you get angry, do you just beat him until he stops arguing with you?" She stepped forward, limited only by the protective barrier of her friends, with fire blazing bright in her eyes. "Do you think it's okay because he's just a child?" She pressed, stepping forward again when Haruto instinctively took a step back. "How many times have you hit Ken!?"

Haruto hesitated before he recovered, straightening up as he lowered his arms - but didn't unclench his fists. "It's a parent's responsibility to punish their child. If he didn't act out, none of this would've happened! He _made_ me punish him!" He finally unclenched one of his fists to point accusingly at Hikari. "He should _be a man_ and accept responsibility instead of _whining_ about being punished!"

The phrase 'be a man' coiled in Daisuke's gut like a venomous serpent. So many times, he had heard that same argument against him whenever he got too upset or dared to cry for any reason. It drew him back to what Ken had said when he exposed that shamefully petty side of himself, how not all family members are good, and abuse shouldn't be tolerated.

"How do you expect him to 'be a man' when he has _you_ for a father?!" Hikari snapped. "You're not a man; you're a spoiled toddler flailing his fists and screaming because you're not getting your way!"

"And _you're_ a spoiled _brat_ that clearly wasn't punished enough by her parents!" Haruto growled. "I am an _adult_ and you will treat me with _respect!"_

"This was a complete waste of time," Hikari said with a shake of her head, before she turned on her heels. "Let's go."

The other Chosen Children stopped and looked at each other. Then, after a moment, they all nodded and began to walk away, following after the Chosen of Light. One by one, they left, with only Taichi and Yamato lingering at the back defensively, watching Haruto warily.

"Hold it right there!" Haruto said as he made to follow, only to be blocked by the two elder siblings. "You think you can just say whatever you like and then just walk off?!"

"A word of advice," Yamato said as he stared hard at the Ichijouji patriarch. "If you care even the slightest bit about your son, you'll think about what's happened."

"Assuming you haven't already chased him away for good," Taichi agreed, glowering at Haruto. "Which would be your own damn fault, and no one else's."

Haruto blustered a bit, but before he could form a sentence, Yamato and Taichi turned and proceeded after the other Chosen. As Yui's sobs turned into a mighty wail, Ken's father stumbled down the steps. "Wait! _Wait_!"

The Chosen Children ignored the man's cries as they continued to walk away, their mood much more somber than it had been when they first arrived. No one said anything, the group walking in complete silence as they headed back to regroup and think about what to do next.

While they hadn't found Ken, they still found a lot more than they had bargained for.

* * *

It had taken Ryo far too long to gather his courage to descend to the bottom of the Crystal Tower. Yet, here he was, standing before the ornate door that led to the Dark World, lingering still. He had no idea how long he stood there, flickering between staring at the door and nothing at all except for the fragmented shards of memories that stank of smoke and burnt flesh.

Monodramon was less than thrilled to be back in front of the door, faced with returning to the one place in the Digital World he never wanted to return to. Still, if that's where Ryo wanted to go, then that's precisely where _he_ would go. He repeated that mantra in his head, even as he quaked in place, tail between his legs.

He just wished they could get this over with already. The longer they waited, the more anxious he became. He wasn't sure how much more he could take. They had been standing there for at least half an hour already!

Ryo brushed a palm across one of his red-ringed eyes as they stung from how much crying he had done earlier. He might have started crying again after reaching this far if his tears hadn't run dry, leaving him wrung out inside.

Monodramon glanced towards Ryo, frowning. "L-Lord Ryo, if you don't wish to go just yet, we could… go back. F-for now."

Ryo jerked his head up, snapped back to the present out of the hazy memories of battle by the timid voice. He had totally forgotten Monodramon was with him. At any other time, he would've been embarrassed, but now he felt numb.

He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to see one of his best friends… like this. But he _couldn't_ leave until he tried to see her… He had to apologize, otherwise he wouldn't be able to forgive himself for what he did, for breaking his promise.

Ryo paused for a moment and worked that thought over in his head. He didn't remember any promise, so it was strange for him to feel so sure that he had broken some sort of promise, a vital one, but his instincts told him he had. It must have been why he was so sure that it was his fault that Keiko was de… down in the Dark World.

Ryo shook his head, skewing his eyes shut. No, he couldn't run away from the truth. Keiko was dead. One of his best friends was _dead_ and her soul lingered in the Dark World. It was only through Narakumon's divine intervention that she and Nyamon weren't trapped forever in the Dark Ocean. Keiko wasn't gone. She was right there, on the other side of the door. She had been there for the past three years, a ghost lingering in a world devoid of color and life with only her father and partner for company.

Taking a deep breath, Ryo forced himself to raise his hand to the massive door. "I'm not leaving until I see Keiko and Nyamon." He tightened his grip on the large ornate handle and braced himself. "I kept them waiting long enough…"

Monodramon similarly braced as he swallowed hard, then gave a nod. "Y-yes, Lord Ryo…"

The door opened slowly, smooth and soundless, with far less effort than Ryo expected. Even still, his hands shook with sweaty palms as he watched the Dark World appear before him once again.

What waited for Ryo on the other side of that door was nothing but water, a sea so dark it was almost black, rippling with waves that twisted into disturbing visages of faces, hands, and other things too unspeakable to focus on. There was no sign of land, let alone the walkway to Narakumon's temple, just a sunless gray sky over an ocean filled with the damned.

While Monodramon leapt back with a frightened howl, Ryo stood frozen before the open door. Although the waterline was over knee high to him, it stopped right at the door, as though he was looking at the Dark Ocean through a pane of glass. No sound leaked through, not even the splashing of the waves as they constantly collided with the invisible barrier separating the Crystal Tower from the Dark World.

Ryo wanted to say what he was seeing was impossible, that Narakumon would never let the Dark Ocean take over so much of the Dark World, but the only thing that came out was an eeking of breath. He didn't even have the chance to recover from the shock and consider what to do next before he saw something large breach the water. It emerged slowly, incomprehensible at first due to how the water churned in the shape of body parts, but as it rose ever higher, the water sloughed off of it and revealed its true shape.

The thing in the water was huge. Ryo could tell thanks to the size of the hands and heads that slid away from golden scales as substantial to it as rain drops. The pitch that flowed from the holes in its face was darker than the waters of the Dark Ocean itself, thick and syrupy like clotting blood. Only by the time its large teeth emerged from the sea did Ryo realize that the holes were empty eye sockets, all aimed in his direction.

This… _thing_ was looking right at him. Ryo felt absolutely certain of it. He could feel its gaze piercing through him to his very soul. What's more, it as it rose ever upward, it started drifting in his direction.

The next thing Ryo knew, the door slammed shut in front of him. Monodramon stood there, panting and shaking, leaning all his weight against the door as though it might somehow help keep that undead behemoth from breaching the Crystal Tower.

Slowly, Monodramon turned his head to stare at Ryo. His eyes were wide with terror, which he made no effort to hide. "I t-t-t-think… w-we should come back _later_ , Lord Ryo."

Numbly, Ryo could only nod.

* * *

"So, now what?" Yamato asked as he flopped down on the sofa before leaning back. "That was pretty much a bust."

"Not a _total_ bust," Takeru said as he sat down beside his brother, a bit more carefully. "We at least confirmed that Ken did, in fact, go home."

"Considering how quick he was to go around smacking _other people's_ children, I think we can guess what kind of homecoming Ken had waiting for him," Miyako said as she crossed her arms.

"Welcome home~!" Kudamon said before her expression grew mock aggressive. " _And don't you ever do that again_!"

"I just don't understand how a father could act that way," Mimi said as she clasped her hands together, lowering her head.

"[...Becoming a parent doesn't change you in to someone else]," Wallace said, his eyes firmly planted on the floor as he stood off to the side, holding Noir in his arms. He didn't turn to meet Mimi's gaze, even when the Chosen of Purity turned to stare at him. "[Not all people have what it takes to be a good parent, and they don't suddenly gain those traits when they become one. For better or for worse, you're still the person you were before.]"

"If you were a jerk _before_ you have kids, then chances are you're still gonna be a jerk _after_ you have kids," Noir said with a bright smile. "And it sure sucks to be them!"

Wallace grimaced as he tightened his grip on Noir.

"Wallace…," Mimi murmured as she reached out to squeeze his arm. To her dismay, he refused to look her in the eye.

"We can't go to the Ryuzakis without their contact information," Koshiro said with a sigh. "So what now?"

"Our options are severely limited at this point," Iori said with a frown. "If not non-existent."

"What about FlaWizarmon and Witchmon?" Hikari asked as she glanced about the room. If _anyone_ would know what had happened to Ken, it would've been them.

"I guess that'd make sense," Taichi said as he scratched at his cheek with his finger. "But would they actually tell us anything?"

"They helped us rescue Ryo from the Dark Ocean," Hikari countered.

"It can't hurt to ask," Sora mused as she leaned back in her chair.

"It's not like we have a choice," Yamato said with a shrug.

"I wouldn't feel right just stopping here," Takeru said. "So even if we don't have much to go on, we need to at least doing _something_. I mean, he went to Daisuke for help, so something _has_ to be wrong."

Daisuke cringed as guilt stabbed through him. He kicked himself for not stopping to really listen to Ken before gushing out his feelings like a broken fire hydrant. Maybe if he did, then Ken might not have run away.

"It's all Jun's fault," Chibimon grumbled. "And she doesn't even _care_."

"Well, there's no point in worrying about the past," Takeru said as he stood up. "Let's focus on the now - and that means going to pay FlaWizarmon and Witchmon a visit."

"But how will we find them?" Jou asked.

"We'll just go back to the stronghold we met them at last time," Takeru said. "Even if they don't immediately show up, they'll be tipped off that we're there and may meet us there."

"Sounds good to me," Yamato said as he stood up to join his brother, then raised his digivice. "Everyone ready?"

"About that," Miyako said as she raised her hand. "We should probably keep the group small. It was all well and good confronting Ken's parents as a full team, but we don't want to set off Ken's forces. They might be on edge with their leader suddenly AWOL."

"That is a very good point," Iori said, frowning. "We would not want them to get the impression that we are invading. A small group would be enough that they would not feel threatened by our appearance."

"Well, last time worked really well," Sora said as she turned to Taichi and Yamato. "So maybe the same group should go again?"

Taichi nodded as he folded his arms in front of him. "Yeah, that sounds good to me."

"Everyone else can watch from the laptop," Koshiro said as he placed the aforementioned electronic device on the table, flipping it open.

"Right," Taichi said before he turned to Yamato, who still held his digivice up. The two shared a nod as the Chosen of Courage gave a determined smile. "Let's go!"

* * *

The Digimon Kaiser sat on his throne, typing away as a myriad of screens floated around him. From digital code to live-feeds of the outside world, the tyrant had his finger on the pulse of the Digital World itself even as he focused on his work.

It was for that reason that, when one of the screens suddenly beeped and shifted to show the arrival of Yamato, Taichi, Hikari, Takeru, and their partners at one of his fortresses, he was immediately aware of it.

With a growl of frustration, the Digimon Kaiser furiously brought forth a monitor showing the image of Witchmon giving instructions to troops. "Witchmon, the kids are at Fort Ouroboros. Get FlaWizarmon and take care of them. I'm not to be disturbed!"

Witchmon saluted randomly to the air. "You got it, Kaiser-kun." A moment later she disappeared, only to reappear several meters away where FlaWizarmon was inspecting a shipment of cargo. "The children are back."

"Well, ain't that just lovely," FlaWizarmon said with a deadpan expression as he stood beside his counterpart. "Ya ever notice how they always seem to show up at the worst times?"

Witchmon shrugged and sighed as her cat mewed in a breathy exhale. "Those children certainly have a knack for it. We better go see what they want." She paused for a moment. "Oh, and Kaiser-kun has orders not to be disturbed." She gave her partner a significant look.

"Not surprised," FlaWizarmon said with a nod. "He's got bigger fish to fry."

Witchmon nodded before her cloak enveloped them both, bringing the two Digimon to the central balcony of Fort Ouroboros where the Digimon Kaiser usually gave his speeches. This location was the heart of the fortress and gave a magnificent view of the goings on. Thus, they quickly spotted the crowd of Digimon gathering to gawk at the humans who had just arrived in their midst. From there, it was simple to reappear in front of the children and startle the recruits into backing off.

"Well, well!" FlaWizarmon said as he pulled the brim of his hat down. "Good mornin' to ya'll! Seems yer gettin' an early start to your day, yeah?"

Hikari relt a rush of relief when FlaWizarmon and Witchmon showed up so quickly. It was a good sign to see them in their usual jovial moods. "We're here to see Ken. You know where he is, right?"

Witchmon's smile tightened at the corners as she bowed her head. "Sorry, dearies, but our dear Digimon Kaiser is not to be disturbed."

"But he _is_ here?" Takeru asked as he tilted his head. "And not running around naked in a hospital gown, like last night?"

Everything stopped at that question, but only for a moment. Witchmon instantly whipped her head around to stare at FlaWizarmon with wide, frantic eyes as her partner returned the look. Even the Digimon Kaiser, who had been listening to the monitor feed at low volume, stopped what he was doing and brought the visual to the forefront.

"What did he say!?" the ruler barked, though his shout could only be heard by FlaWizarmon and Witchmon. "What does he know!?"

Witchmon winced at the volume of the order in her ear and returned her focus to the Chosen Children. "What are you talking about?"

Takeru was watching the two Digimon's faces intently, noting their reactions, before he did a meaningful glance around at their gawking audience. "Maybe we should have this conversation somewhere… private."

Witchmon nodded and her cloak flowed in all directions about her. Within moments, the now much smaller group were standing in a surprisingly posh parlor. There were comfortable chairs all around, soft ornate carpets, tasteful furnishings, and a few items of entertainment like games or books.

Takeru barely paid their surroundings any attention, as they obviously weren't there to get comfortable. "The reason Ken's not to be disturbed is because he's not here, right? And you don't want his troops to know that. Something happened to him."

Witchmon tensed up, her grip tightening on the handle of her broom.

FlaWizarmon's expression was similarly tense, but he managed a small nod.

"Ken appeared in Daisuke's room last night," Yamato said. "Wearing nothing but a hospital gown, and apparently having trouble remembering things. Unfortunately, Daisuke's sister startled him, and he took off again."

"After that, he apparently went back home," Taichi sad as he crossed his arms. "But, uh… the end result of _that_ meeting was him tasering his father before taking off again, so _that_ didn't go well."

"That bastard deserved worse," Witchmon muttered before straightening up and raising her voice to normal volume. "So, you're saying Ken-chan is running around on Earth?"

"That's what it sounds like, yeah," Yamato said.

"We think he might have gone to the Ryuzakis next, but we have no way of contacting them," Takeru said. "The only other place we could think of was back here, with you."

Witchmon drew a circle of sparkles and light above her head. "I'll give you all the addresses we know for the Ryuzakis, and Ryo's place too. You children would be better than us at checking them."

The sound of chimes rang out, drawing the children's attention to each of their D-Terminals. Takeru was the first to open his and find an email from Witchmon sent to all of them with the information about the Ryuzakis that even Koshiro struggled to find.

"Thank you," Hikari said with a sigh of relief as she read off the list of locations along with the helpful labeling of what each address led to. There was even a list of phone numbers and names. "This will help us a lot."

"We'll go to everyone, and see what we can find," Takeru said with a nod. "The more people looking for Ken, the better."

"Or at least, the more _friendly_ eyes, the better," Tailmon said with a snap of her tail.

The emphasis brought to mind an important detail that made Witchmon's expression turn stony. "Speaking of friendly… except for all of you, is everyone else on Earth right now?"

Taichi blinked, confused. "Yeah, why?"

Witchmon smiled faintly, but hardly appeared relieved. "Good. Children, all of you need to stay as far away from Neemon as possible."

FlaWizarmon wore a dangerous expression. "Reckon we should've warned ya'll before about the little bastard, but we didn't want ya'll getting involved. An' not just because this is our fight, but because all he needed was a _pretense_ \- and we sure as hell weren't gonna give him one."

"Neemon?" Hikari repeated, confused.

Takeru looked up at that. "That's right… Ken was the one who…" He couldn't finish the statement. Mentioning the fact that Ken tortured the Digimon was counterproductive to the moment. "...Had issues with him. Even though he traveled with you all."

"For good reason," FlaWizarmon said, his expression tense. " _Damn_ good reason - and the same reason why you all need to stay the hell away from him."

"What reason is that?" Taichi asked, scratching the back of his head. "I mean the little guy is kinda dim and his farts are killer, but-"

" _He's_ the one that murdered Lady Keiko," FlaWizarmon practically snarled, with no small amount of hatred in his voice. "And murdered - _tried_ to murder Ryo."

The stunned, disbelieving silence from the assembled Chosen Children gave the two a chance to continue, with FlaWizarmon crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall.

"His bumbling, his stupidity… it was all a lie - all of it," FlaWizarmon growled. "He used it to hide his true nature, and… no one saw it coming. Not even Narakumon."

"Neemon attacked last night," Witchmon said as she pressed her hands together, trying to keep them from shaking impotently with rage. "He tried to kill Ken-chan again… and that's why he's now missing."

"The fact that ya'll saw him on Earth is… actually a huge relief," FlaWizarmon said, with a sigh and a shaky smile. "Since Neemon can't go there. An' so long as Ken-chan _stays_ there, Neemon can't finish what he started."

"So you're saying _he_ …" Tailmon trailed off, struggling to comprehend what she was hearing. Her ears canted back as her fur puffed up, the anger slowly building up inside of her.

"That _he_ killed Keiko!?" Taichi blurted out, gesturing wildly with his hands. "That little fart factory!?"

"He's _that_ good at acting," Witchmon said lowly, showing her sharp teeth in a snarl. "None of us saw it coming either until it was too late. The little bastard is an assassin and infiltrator, under the employ of none other than Zhuqiaomon."

" _What_!?" Yamato shouted as he clenched his fists.

"Are you kidding!?" Taichi sputtered. A thought caused him to pale. "Wait, wasn't that the same guy who had us go into the Dark Ocean!?"

Hikari gawked at the pair, her mouth hanging open in disbelief. She tried to figure out what to say, but words failed her.

"He hates Darkness _that_ much," FlaWizarmon said, his voice shaking. "So much that he… even as everyone else was fighting for the Digital World, even when _she_ was fighting for the Digital World… he sent an assassin to take advantage of the chaos and…!"

Witchmon folded her sharp fingers together to rest her chin atop them. "I know this is hard to believe, dearies, but the only reason we know anything at all was because that little yellow bastard _let_ us know. He let Ken-chan see him ki… _try_ to kill Ryo in order to push Ken-chan into acting rash and get killed too. He wanted to kill all three of our kids at once."

"Is… was that Zhuqaiomon's orders too!?" Takeru demanded to know.

"No clue," FlaWizarmon said, with a shake of his head. "It's hard to tell how much was ordered and how much is him being a psychopath. But even if Zhuqaiomon didn't order it explicitly, I don't see him giving a shit about the others so long as Lady Keiko was killed."

Witchmon took a deep breath then let it out slowly. "Aside from one recording catching him in the act and what he said to Ken-chan and Wormmon under torture when it was just the three of them…" She sighed deeply. "The little bastard… he enjoyed himself even when Ken-chan was whipping him, because he knew about the taint and what it was doing to Ken-chan's mind. He _knew_ torturing him would torture Ken-chan too. He _only_ talked when it was Ken-chan doing the hitting. Little bastard proudly showed off his scars and drip fed just enough information to push Ken-chan to keep coming back and suffer more. _That_ is the _real_ face of Neemon, children."

" _Stay_ away from him," FlaWizarmon said as he pointed at each of the Chosen Children. "He's on the hunt again, for _whatever_ damn reason… which is the _only_ reason we're telling you all this. Until we've killed the little shit and filtered out his data so that he can't be reborn, you need to stay - away - from - him!"

"You mentioned a 'pretense' before... pretense of _what_?" Tailmon asked.

"A pretense to say you're allies of the Digimon Kaiser, and therefore threats to the Digital World," FlaWizarmon said as he crossed his arms. "Which means he can _excuse_ your _deaths_."

Tailmon's ears went straight back as she felt a surge of anger go right up her spine, causing her fur to bristle.

"As twisted as Neemon is," Witchmon said slowly, "he's still obedient to his programming, which is to follow Zhuquiaomon's orders, and _he_ apparently can't order your deaths directly without the approval of the others."

"An' since he sure as hell ain't getting _that_ anytime soon, he has to use his _old_ orders," FlaWizarmon growled. "Namely - the orders that allowed him to kill Keiko and try to kill Ryo."

Takeru clenched his fists as he felt his stomach churn, with revulsion at what had happened but also anger. Burning, smoldering _anger_. "So that's why… that's why Ken hated him, and was so terrified of Zhuqiaomon. Because he knew… he knew what they were capable of, what they had _already done_."

"It wasn't just Zhuqiaomon, either," Witchmon said lowly. "We didn't tell you all this before because we didn't think you'd believe us… but the reason _why_ his damn assassin acted was because the Holy Beasts decided to kill one of you children." Her mouth turned sour. "'For the sake of the Digital World.'"

Takeru froze as things into place to create a terrible picture in his mind. "The vote."

"What?" Yamato turned to stare at his brother. "Vote?"

"Remember?" Takeru murmured. "The Holy Beasts… they have to vote." He turned to the others. "Which means… they voted on whether or not to kill Keiko."

A low growl escaped Tailmon as her ears canted back. "And it passed." She fixed her gaze on FlaWizarmon and Witchmon. "Right?"

FlaWizarmon gave a sharp nod.

"Three to one," Witchmon said, her voice low. "We had our doubts Baihumon would give the nod to something so underhanded as this. His pride wouldn't allow it. But we thought he was more capable than… we always thought Quinglongmon…" She trailed off, her voice choking a bit before she took the time to clear her throat. "Quinglongmon was always the most compassionate of the four."

"Shocked the hell outta us that it was Baihumon that was the nay vote instead of him," FlaWizarmon spat. "That two-faced snake all but admitted as such when we confronted him. Baihumon confirmed it when we talked to him later. That's why we let you kids play around with him at his fortress. At least if Baihumon decides he wants you dead, you'll see that damn attack come at you from the front instead of the back."

"How…," Hikari choked out, her trembling hands reaching up to cover her mouth. "How could they… how could they?" Tears welled up in her eyes as her emotions overflowed. "How _could_ they!?"

"That's Zhuqiaomon for you," FlaWizarmon growled. "That's why it surprised the shit outta us that he wanted to rescue Ryo… and why we went along. We didn't trust that the whole thing wasn't a trap to kill every damn one of you right then and there… have the Dark Ocean swallow you up with the rest of the humans."

Yamato's eyes widened. "Which almost _happened_ ," he said lowly, his hands shaking as they were both clenched at his sides. "If you hadn't teleported us out…!"

"And yet it also worked," Witchmon said as she pursed her lips. "Ryo was there, _alive_ , and we were able to rescue him." She shook her head. "I can't imagine what's going through Zhuqiaomon's mind."

"That's the problem when yer working with a backstabbing piece of shit," FlaWizarmon said with a smile that shared no friendliness. "It's impossible to tell when they're up to their old tricks or when they're actually genuine~!"

"But does it really matter?" Gabumon asked. "In the end…"

"They still killed Keiko," Agumon finished for the other Digimon, glaring off at some point in the distance. "They can't get away with it!"

Witchmon smiled, but it was a frightening smile with too many sharp teeth. "This is why we told you that Ken-chan never started the war with the Holy Beasts. They were the ones who betrayed us first."

"Baihumon should've told us," Taichi said, clenching his fists at his side as his expression turned dark. "If he didn't want Keiko to die, then he should've stopped them! He should've told us why all this happened in the first place! He should've told everyone before it even happened!"

"He physically couldn't," FlaWizarmon said, with a scowl. "His coding wouldn't allow it. The votes are _binding_ , down to the very code that makes up their bodies."

Witchmon sighed softly. "The votes are a secret among the four, and they can't talk about it outside of the four of them anymore than you all can start breathing dirt instead of air. They can't act against it either. He couldn't even tell us _directly_ what his vote actually was when we asked him. He got around it by telling us ' _hypothetically'_ what he would've voted for in a similar situation, and only after we asked the right questions."

"We need to talk to him," Yamato said as he turned to Taichi, his expression fierce. "See if we can ask some right questions _ourselves_."

"We need to keep looking for Ken too," Hikari added, despite how she shook inside. She wanted to demand answers right then and there, to see justice for Keiko, but she couldn't let herself lose sight of the danger Ken was in now.

"Absolutely," Tailmon agreed. "Ken comes first. We can't let him become any more of a victim than he already is. They've done _enough_ to him."

"We'll split up then," Taichi said as he looked to Yamato sharply. "You, me, and whoever else wants to grill Baihumon heads to his fortress. The rest of us goes down the list and check to see if anyone saw Ken lately."

"I'm going to see Keiko's brother," Hikari said, her voice quiet but resolute. "Even if he hasn't seen Ken, he needs to know…" She trailed off, leaving the rest left unsaid.

"I'll go with you," Takeru said. "We have to tell him… about what _really_ happened to Keiko."

Hikari nodded, and she could see from his expression that he shared the same thought as her. If one of their brothers had been murdered by someone they thought was on their side, they would want, no, _need_ to know the truth. She would let Keiko know as well… if the spirit didn't already know now.

The thought that Keiko might be present, listening, finding out such a horrible revelation about her own death left Hikari feeling an acute pain in her chest. She wished she could do something, anything to comfort Keiko whenever she learned such a terrible truth, but there was no way to talk to her again. Not without risking the lives of everyone in both worlds.

A guilty thought came to her and, before Hikari could second guess herself, she leaned in to whisper in Takeru's ear. "One of us needs to go back to the Dark World to tell Keiko too. I'd go myself, but…"

Takeru gave a small nod before he murmured. "Yeah, Keiko will want to know who killed her. She could keep an eye out for the bastard far better than we can."

Hikari nodded, her eyes drifting to the floor. "Plus… she'll need friends with her to help her through this… Right now, she and Nyamon are alone… with _them_."

Takeru nodded, his expression fierce. "All thanks to _him_."

Scowling, Hikari nodded as well.

"Right, so now that we know what to do," Yamato said, drawing the two younger siblings' attention back to the conversation. "Let's get to work. We should regroup and then go at this with everything we have."

Taichi raised his fist in the air. "Right! Let's go save Ken and grill Baihumon for the truth!"

* * *

"If Miyako ever knew, I'd never hear the end of it."

Ken shifted uncomfortably, holding five bags - his backpack full of clothes, a grocery bag with food and another with cleaning supplies, and the final one containing a brand new laptop. He stood in front of what _looked_ like a hotel, save that it was decorated rather gaudily, in white, bright reds, and pinks with neon flashing hearts. The entry ways were covered, obscuring who went in and out and even hid what cars were parked in the lot. The front windows were all tinted and there was no one manning the front desk, just a computer with a directory of rooms available next to a credit card machine.

This place was a Love Hotel.

"Well… what choice do I have?" Ken sighed, his face solid crimson. After running himself exhausted, he had finally reached a point where he had time to think about where to go. He _obviously_ couldn't stay at his false parents' house, and something told him that he should expect a similar reaction from the others - even Daisuke and Miyako. That meant he needed to find a place where a child without any parental supervision could get lodgings without raising suspicions. It practically screamed 'runaway', and that's precisely what he was at the moment – at least, as far as the dream world was concerned.

Love Hotels prided themselves in keeping their guests anonymous, so much so that it wasn't unusual for them to be fully automated - much like the one he was staring at. There was no staff to see him, privacy meant no pictures; as long as he paid for the room, no one cared. And thanks to his credit card, he could pay for the room - days, weeks, or even months if need be.

"It's only until I can escape this awful world," Ken muttered as he approached tinted glass doors. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching him before he slipped inside, disappearing from view. "That's _all_."

It was so incredibly easy for Ken to select a room and pay for it with his credit card. There was no consequences for a supposed child booking their nicest suite available with automatic renewal until he eventually chose to check out. It was shameful, but, then again, that's why this place existed.

Ken hurried through the hotel to his room as fast as possible, praying that he wouldn't come across anyone wandering about. Mercifully, luck was on his side, and he found his room in short order. After a quick swish of his heart shaped keycard in the lock, he slipped inside with all his supplies, the door automatically closing and locking behind him.

The Chosen of Kindness hesitated at the threshold gawked at the room, rather taken aback. He probably shouldn't have been, all things considered, but he wasn't prepared for so much... _red_. It had red heart wallpaper, red heart carpet, red heart pictures on the walls - even the bed itself was a massive red heart. It looked like something for Valentine's Day, with rather obvious dirty implications.

Grimacing, Ken set the groceries down before pulling out a surgical mask from the bag with the cleaning supplies. He put it on his face, then he took out two big cans of disinfectant, one in each hand. Even if it was a false room, a dream world that acted as his prison, there were far too many implications for him to be able to ignore - and given it was his own mind, it'd all but ensure that his fears were well-founded. Getting changed and having dinner would have to wait - he needed to kill _every single germ_ in that room, _immediately_.


End file.
